2005 Missouri Revised Statutes - § 630.165. — Suspected abuse of patient, report, by whom made, contents--effect of failure to report--penalty.

630.165. 1. When any physician, dentist, chiropractor, optometrist, podiatrist, intern, nurse, medical examiner, social worker, psychologist, minister, Christian Science practitioner, peace officer, pharmacist, physical therapist, facility administrator, nurse's aide or orderly in a residential facility, day program or specialized service operated, funded or licensed by the department or in a mental health facility or mental health program in which people may be admitted on a voluntary basis or are civilly detained pursuant to chapter 632, RSMo, or employee of the department has reasonable cause to believe that a patient, resident or client of a facility, program or service has been abused or neglected, he or she shall immediately report or cause a report to be made to the department or the department of health and senior services, if such facility or program is licensed pursuant to chapter 197, RSMo.

2. The report shall contain the name and address of the residential facility, day program or specialized service; the name of the patient, resident or client; information regarding the nature of the abuse or neglect; the name of the complainant, and any other information which might be helpful in an investigation.

3. Any person required in subsection 1 of this section to report or cause a report to be made to the department who fails to do so within a reasonable time after the act of abuse or neglect is guilty of an infraction.

4. In addition to those persons required to report under subsection 1 of this section, any other person having reasonable cause to believe that a resident has been abused or neglected may report such information to the department.

5. Any person who knowingly files a false report of abuse or neglect is guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

6. Any person having a prior conviction of filing false reports and who subsequently files a false report of abuse or neglect pursuant to this section or section 565.188, RSMo, is guilty of a class D felony.

(L. 1980 H.B. 1724 § 630.165 subsecs. 1 to 4, A.L. 1996 S.B. 884 & 841, A.L. 2003 S.B. 556 & 311)