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.Copyright (c) Missouri House of Representatives