Mandatory Reporting
MFAW Guidebook
Mandatory Reporting
Abuse and neglect occurs when a person(s) responsible for the care of a child, person over the age of 60 or person with a disability, either deliberately or by extraordinary inattentiveness, permits the individual in his/her care to experience avoidable suffering and/or fails to provide one or more of the components deemed essential for developing a person’s physical, intellectual, and emotional capacities.
SHCN staff are mandatory reporters and must report suspected abuse/neglect, whether or not it involves an enrolled participant with MFAW. SHCN staff receiving reports from other sources, including MO HealthNet Division (MHD) provider agencies, (i.e., third party allegations) are required to report the allegations (third party hotline). SHCN staff must remind the MHD provider agency of their mandated responsibility to call the appropriate hotline and report the incident. The determination as to whether the event is investigated is the responsibility of the protective service agency.
Concerns to report may include, but are not limited to:
- Suspected neglect,
- Any non-accidental physical injury or injury is at variance with the history given,
- Suspected sexual abuse,
- Suspected emotional abuse,
- Non-organic failure to thrive,
- Suspected financial exploitation,
- Use of restraint, seclusion, or any restrictive intervention.
How to report:
The following procedure shall be carried out to report suspected abuse/neglect:
- For suspected abuse or neglect of a person with a disability 18 years of age or older or a person 60 years of age or older, staff will call the Division of Senior and Disability Services at (800) 392-0210 or report on-line.
Notification and Documentation
- The RC must be notified within 24 hours of the concern being identified.
- A Confidential Event Report (CER) shall be completed and submitted to the RC within 24 hours of the concern being identified.