HB 2270 -- SAFE CARE PROVIDERS

SPONSOR:  Cooper

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee on
Health Care Policy by a vote of 9 to 0.

This bill allows child abuse medical resource centers and
providers receiving training from the Sexual Assault Forensic
Examination Child Abuse Resource Education (SAFE CARE) network to
collaborate to promote improved services to children who are
suspected victims of abuse and need a forensic medical
examination by providing specialized training for forensic
medical evaluations in a hospital, child advocacy center, or by a
private health care professional without the need for a
collaborative agreement between the child abuse medical resource
center and a SAFE CARE provider.  The SAFE CARE network must
develop recommendations for medically based screening processes
and forensic evidence collection for emergency examinations of
children who are alleged victims of sexual assault and provide
those recommendations to the SAFE CARE providers, child advocacy
centers, hospitals, and licensed practitioners who provide these
emergency examinations.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2011, FY 2012, and
FY 2013.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill addresses the current
problem that rural areas have in finding health care
professionals who are appropriately trained to conduct forensic
examinations.  Most physicians do not have these very specific
skills and are not willing to perform the exams because of the
liability, time constraints, court appearances, and litigation;
and it is often emotional and requires professional commitment.
Lack of availability of these specialty physicians could place
children in rural areas in possible harm from not receiving the
proper services when there is suspected abuse.  The bill allows
existing forensic examiner providers who typically reside in
metropolitan areas to collaborate with rural health service
providers who do not have access to this specialty.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Cooper; Jay Wood,
Missouri KidsFirst; Dr. Samuel Brayfield; St. Louis Children's
Hospital; and Dr. Authur Freeland.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:13 pm