Your Contact
Sam Grisham Investigative Agent
(740) 375-6190
Crisis hotline (740) 225-9310
muicontact@marioncountydd.org
Sam Grisham has one goal: to ensure that people with disabilities obtain independence while enjoying a quality of life that includes health and welfare.
Grisham, a veteran of the US Army, a graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University, and retired Chief of Security from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, has been in his role of an investigative agent at the Marion County Board of DD since June 2017. In his current role, he is responsible for investigations, interviews, security, and reporting.
The Law
313.12 Notice to the coroner of violent,
suspicious, unusual, or sudden death
(A) When any person dies as a result of criminal or other violent means, by casualty, by suicide, or in any suspicious or unusual manner, when any person, including a child under two years of age, dies suddenly when in apparent good health, or when any person with a developmental disability dies regardless of the circumstances, the physician called in attendance, or any member of an ambulance service, emergency squad, or law enforcement agency who obtains knowledge thereof arising from the person’s duties, shall immediately notify the office of the coroner of the known facts concerning the time, place, manner, and circumstances of the death, and any other information that is required pursuant to sections 313.01 to 313.22 of the Revised Code. In such cases, if a request is made for cremation, the funeral director who is called in attendance shall immediately notify the coroner.
(B) As used in this section, “developmental disability” has the same meaning as in section 5123.01 of the Revised Code.
Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 158, §1, eff. 10/12/2016. Effective Date: 01-30-2004.
What to Report
OAC 5123:2-17-02 Addresses major unusual incidents (MUI) and unusual incidents (UI) to ensure health, welfare, and continuous quality improvement. Contact 740-225-9310 (24-hour hotline).
Category A
- Accidental/suspicious death (law enforcement & coroner)
- Exploitation (law enforcement)
- Misappropriation (law enforcement)
- Neglect (law enforcement)
- Physical Abuse (law enforcement)
- Prohibited Sexual Relations (law enforcement)
- Rights Code Violation
- Sexual/Verbal Abuse (law enforcement)
- Failure to Report
Category B
- Attempted Suicide (law enforcement)
- Medical Emergency
- Non-suspicious/accidental death (law enforcement & coroner)
- Significant Injury
- Peer-to-Peer Acts (Law Enforcement)
- Missing Individual
Category C
- Law Enforcement
- Unscheduled Hospitalization
- Unapproved Behavior Support
* (law enforcement) indicates that the provider must notify law enforcement.
Major Unusual Incidents
A Major Unusual Incident (MUI) is defined as any alleged, suspected, or actual occurrence of an incident that adversely affects the health and safety of an individual.
MUIs are reported to the Marion County Board of DD, which then reports the information to the Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD). County Boards of DD are responsible for immediate action, investigation, and prevention planning for each incident.
The DODD Major Unusual Incident and Registry Unit reviews all initial MUIs to ensure immediate actions are taken and appropriate notifications have been made. In addition to this review, the DODD provides technical assistance to providers and counties, and routinely conducts assessments of each County Board of DD and Developmental Center’s system for ensuring health and safety. The DODD also conducts separate investigations as outlined in the rule.
Preparing for follow up
Common questions to have answers for when reporting:
- Did anyone witness it?
- Did you get a written report from witness(s)? Do you have a phone number or email for the witness(s)?
- What is the extent of the injuries if an accident?
- What was the individual doing?
- Where was staff?
- What actions did staff take immediately?
- What other known factors played into the incident?
- Who has been notified?
- If death, was the coroner notified? Who notified the Coroner? What date and time?
- What are the timelines? (time of incident, time reported, time departed)
- If law enforcement was notified, what was the officer’s name, report number, MPD, or Sheriff?
- How did you ensure the health and welfare of individuals and others?
- Name of hospital or name of the jail where the individual was taken.