Title 43, Public Welfare

Notwithstanding any finding by the court of lack of capacity of the vulnerable person to consent, the vulnerable person or the individual, organization or agency designated to be responsible for the vulnerable person, if any, or the State Department of Public Welfare or the count…

(1) (a) A person who engages in sexual penetration with a vulnerable person is guilty of sexual battery if the person is a volunteer at, or an employee of, or contracted to work for, a health care facility in which the vulnerable person is a patient or resident.(b) A person who e…

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to abuse, neglect or exploit any vulnerable person. (2) (a) Any person who willfully commits an act or willfully omits the performance of any duty, which act or omission contributes to, tends to contribute to, or results in neglect, physica…

At the time the department makes an evaluation of the case reported, in accordance with the provisions of Section 43-47-9, it shall be determined, according to the regulations set by the department, whether the vulnerable person is financially capable of paying for the essential …

The department and the court are authorized to seek the cooperation of all public agencies, departments, societies, organizations or agencies having for their object the protection or aid of vulnerable persons. These agencies, departments, societies and organizations shall provid…

Any officer, agent or employee of the department in the good faith exercise of his duties under this chapter shall not be liable for any civil damages as a result of his acts or omissions in rendering assistance or aid to any vulnerable person.

The department shall adopt standards and other procedures and guidelines with forms to insure the effective implementation of the provisions of this chapter no later than October 1, 2001.

In addition to the powers granted under the provisions of this chapter, the department is authorized to petition the court under the provisions of Section 93-20-401 or 93-20-402 for appointment of a conservator for any vulnerable person.

The purpose of this chapter is to provide for protective services for vulnerable persons in Mississippi who are abused, neglected or exploited.

(1) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize, permit or require any emergency or protective services in contravention of the stated or implied objection of such person based upon his right of privacy, which is grounded in the federal courts and the courts of this s…

The department shall establish a comprehensive, aggressive program to educate the general public of (a) the existence and provisions of the Mississippi Vulnerable Persons Act of 1986; (b) the duty to report the abuse, neglect or exploitation of any and all vulnerable persons, and…

It is the intent of the Legislature that the department shall implement the provisions of this chapter in the event federal funding is made available therefor under a social services block grant, or in the event any other federal or state funding is made available to provide for …

(1) Any person who, within the scope of his employment at a care facility as defined in Section 43-47-5(b), or in his professional or personal capacity, has knowledge of or reasonable cause to believe that any patient or resident of a care facility has been the victim of abuse, n…

(1) There is created in the State Treasury a special fund to be known as the Vulnerable Persons Training, Investigation and Prosecution Fund. The purpose of the fund shall be to provide funding for the Vulnerable Persons Unit in the Office of the Attorney General to assist in the…

(1) The Department of Public Safety shall establish and maintain a registry, to be known as the Mississippi Vulnerable Person Abuse Registry, containing the name of any individual who has been convicted of the crime of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable person. (2) T…

(a) For the purposes of this chapter, the following words shall have the meanings ascribed herein unless the context otherwise requires:(a) “Abuse” means the commission of a willful act, or the willful omission of the performance of a duty, which act or omission contributes, tend…

(1) (a) Except as otherwise provided by Section 43-47-37 for vulnerable persons in care facilities and by Section 43-7-65 for the State Ombudsman Program, any person including, but not limited to, the following, who knows or suspects that a vulnerable person has been or is being …

(1) Any person employed by a care facility or having a professional relationship with a care facility who receives or accepts a gift, money or thing of value in excess of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) from a patient or resident of the care facility shall make a written report of t…

(1) Upon receipt of a report pursuant to Section 43-47-7 that a vulnerable person is in need of protective services, the department shall initiate an investigation and/or evaluation within forty-eight (48) hours if immediate attention is needed, or within seventy-two (72) hours i…