Summary of the Introduced Bill

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

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