HB 746 -- Investigations of Elder Abuse

Sponsor:  Ladd Baker

This bill makes additions to sections pertaining to the
investigation of elder abuse.  The bill:

(1)  Requires all Medicaid participation agreements between the
Department of Social Services and in-home provider agencies to
require that service providers be trained on abuse and neglect
identification, prevention, and reporting;

(2)  Requires the department to investigate reports of abuse or
neglect that indicate a clear and immediate danger within 24
hours;

(3)  Makes in-home services providers, employees of local area
agencies on aging, and employees of organized area agencies on
aging programs mandated reporters of abuse or neglect of an
in-home services client;

(4)  Requires allegations of abuse or neglect reported by an
in-home services provider to be investigated by the in-home
services provider nurse and the client's case manager.  The
department is required to respond to the service provider about
the progress of an investigation within 5 days;

(5)  Area agencies on aging are authorized to provide training
to mandated reporters on the detection and report of abuse and
neglect;

(6)  Requires evaluations, called "Safe at Home Evaluations" to
be conducted to determine a client's physical, mental, and
environmental capacity and to assure that the client has the
appropriate services and professionals involved in his or her
care;

(7)  Requires annual nurse visits to assess clients and their
plan of services and to report the results of the assessment to
the case manager.  If a change in the plan of services is
necessary, the provider must notify the department so that a
client evaluation can be conducted.  If the department has
authorized services, nurse visits must be reimbursed to the
in-home services provider outside of the nursing home cap for
in-home clients whose services have reached 100% of the average
statewide charge for care and treatment in an intermediate care
facility;

(8)  Requires the establishment of a quality assurance process
for in-home services provider clients;

(9)  Requires the department to investigate reports of elder
abuse, to refer such reports to the appropriate law enforcement
agency and prosecutor, and to determine whether protective
services are required; and

(10)  Requires employees of the Division of Aging and law
enforcement personnel to be trained in the handling of elder
abuse cases and to develop a checklist for investigating reports
of elder abuse.

The bill also makes certain technical changes.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated September 13, 2001 at 2:03 pm