Missouri Laws 630.163 – Mandatory reporting requirements
1. Any person having reasonable cause to suspect that a vulnerable person presents a likelihood of suffering serious physical harm or is the victim of abuse or neglect shall report such information to the department. Reports of vulnerable person abuse received by the departments of health and senior services and social services shall be forwarded to the department.
2. The report shall be made orally or in writing. It shall include, if known:
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 630.163
- Department: the department of mental health of the state of Missouri. See Missouri Laws 630.005
- person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Vulnerable person: any person in the custody, care, or control of the department that is receiving services from an operated, funded, licensed, or certified program. See Missouri Laws 630.005
(1) The name, age, and address of the vulnerable person;
(2) The name and address of any person responsible for the vulnerable person’s care;
(3) The nature and extent of the vulnerable person’s condition; and
(4) Other relevant information.
3. The department shall have primary responsibility for investigating reported incidents of abuse and neglect of vulnerable persons.
4. Reports regarding persons determined not to be vulnerable persons as defined in section 630.005 shall be referred to the appropriate state or local authorities.
5. The department shall collaborate with the departments of health and senior services and social services to maintain a statewide toll-free phone number for receipt of reports.