The Ohio Administrative Code 3701-17-01 defines elopement as an event that occurs when a resident leaves a home or safe area without the facility's knowledge or without supervision. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in the State Operations Manual Appendix PP, state that situations in which a resident leaves the premises or a safe area without the facility’s knowledge and supervision, if necessary, would be considered an elopement. CMS emphasizes that this situation represents a risk to the resident’s health and safety and places the resident at risk of heat or cold exposure, dehydration and/or other medical complications, drowning, or being struck by a motor vehicle.
Elopement is recognized by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) as a potentially preventable adverse event and remains a high-risk concern for facilities. Facilities should review and update elopement policies to ensure compliance with the Ohio rule revisions effective July 17, 2025, and confirm that staff are competent in all aspects of elopement protocols and understand what areas of the community are designated as the safe area. CMS emphasizes that facility policies that clearly define the mechanisms and procedures for assessing or identifying, monitoring and managing residents at risk for elopement can help to minimize the risk of a resident leaving a safe area without the facility’s awareness and/or appropriate supervision.