Title 71, Welfare

Any person making any report or investigation pursuant to this part, including representatives of the department in the reasonable performance of their duties and within the scope of their authority, shall be presumed to be acting in good faith and shall thereby be immune from an…

Notwithstanding the existence of the privilege for confidential communications between husband and wife, the chancellor at the hearing may compel testimony if, in the chancellor's opinion, disclosure is necessary in the interest of the adult.

(a) (1) (A) If the department determines that an adult who is in need of protective services is in imminent danger if that adult does not receive protective services and lacks capacity to consent to protective services, then the department may file a complaint with the court for …

No adult may be adjudicated incompetent or committed to a mental institution under this part.

If the department determines that the adult is financially capable of paying for the protective services received, according to standards to be set by the department, the adult shall reimburse the state for the cost of providing the protective services. If the department determin…

Any person who fails to make reasonable efforts to make a report required by this chapter or § 39-15-509(a) commits a Class A misdemeanor.

It is the legislative intent that the protective services set out in this part be provided and that the department have present authority to provide or to arrange for the provision of the same. However, the provision of the services is subject to budgetary limitations and the ava…

The cost of the administration of this part and the provision of the services hereby authorized shall be limited to the amount of funds specifically appropriated for such purposes by the general assembly.

(a) It is the legislative intent that the departments of mental health and substance abuse services, disability and aging, and health, or their successor agencies, shall assist the department of human services with providing the services required under this part. (b) When the dep…

(a) The circuit, general sessions, and chancery courts have jurisdiction of proceedings arising under this part. Probate courts in counties having a population of not less than seven hundred seventy-five thousand (775,000), according to the 1980 federal census or any subsequent f…

It is the legislative intent that law enforcement officials shall cooperate with the department of human services in providing protective services under this part. Further, when the department is unable to return an adult to physical custody who voluntarily leaves such custody, l…

Either party to a proceeding under this part, or any interested person on behalf of the adult subject to such a proceeding, may file a motion for review of the decree of the court at any time.

(a) For purposes of this part, a person is not abused or neglected or in need of protective services if the person subject to care intentionally and willfully chooses or consents to engage in a religious method of healing in accordance with a recognized religious belief in lieu o…

(a) (1) The identity of a person who reports abuse, neglect, or exploitation, as those terms are defined in § 71-6-102, as required under this part, is confidential and may not be revealed except as otherwise provided in this section or upon an order by a court with jurisdiction …

(a) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:(1) “Capacity to consent” means the mental ability to make a rational decision, which includes the ability to perceive, appreciate all relevant facts and to reach a rational judgment upon such facts; or to make an…

(a) All offices of physicians licensed pursuant to title 63, chapter 6 or 9, all health care facilities licensed pursuant to title 68, chapter 11, all senior centers, all community centers and all pharmacies shall post the following in the main public entrance:(1) Contact informa…

The division of adult protective services of the department of human services shall establish a toll-free telephone service to enable citizens within the state to call the division free of charge to report abuse, neglect, or exploitation and to seek relevant assistance from the d…

(a) It is an offense for a person to report to the department an accusation of abuse, sexual abuse, neglect or exploitation of an adult if, at the time of the report, the person knows or should know the accusation is false. (b) It is an offense for a person to knowingly cause ano…

(a) (1) (A) Any relative, conservator, or agent of the department of disability and aging; designated agency or assign of the relative, conservator, or department; or attorney ad litem having personal knowledge that an adult has been the subject of a violation of § 39-15-502, § 3…

(a) By January 1, 2017, the district attorney general of each judicial district shall establish, or cause to be established, a vulnerable adult protective investigative team (VAPIT) for the purpose of:(1) Coordinating the investigation of suspected instances of abuse, neglect, or…

(a) There are hereby established programs for the establishment and funding of family violence shelters and shelter services and child abuse prevention services. The program for the establishment of family violence shelters and shelter services shall be administered by the depart…

(1) As used in this part, unless the context requires otherwise:(1) “Child abuse prevention services” means those services designed to prevent the occurrence of child abuse and neglect. They may include, but are not limited to:(A) Services relating to prevention of child abuse, s…

(1) In administering these programs, the department with authority over each program:(1) Shall divide all funds received under this part equally, with fifty percent (50%) of the funds to be allocated to the department of finance and administration for family violence shelters and…

(1) To receive funds under this part, organizations shall:(1) Be incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation, and be tax-exempt under § 501 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 501); and(2) Comply with §§ 37-1-403 and 37-1-605 by reporting cases of suspected child abuse or …

To receive funds under this part for family violence shelter services or shelters, or both, all applicants shall show that they have provided shelter services for at least six (6) months prior to the application for funds under this part, and that the funds provided under this pa…

(1) To receive funds under this part for child abuse prevention services, all applicants shall show that the funds provided under this part will enable them to provide some of the following services:(1) Counseling for the prevention of child abuse;(2) Child abuse prevention self-…

It is the legislative intent that in providing services to family violence victims that shelter services be provided to male children twelve (12) to eighteen (18) years of age to the maximum extent feasible.

(a) No person can be compelled to provide testimony or documentary evidence in a criminal, civil or administrative proceeding that would identify the address or location of a shelter. (b) In any proceeding involving a shelter or a person staying at a shelter, the sheriff, constab…

There is established a program for the establishment and funding of sexual assault program services to be administered by the department of finance and administration.

(1) As used in this part, unless the context requires otherwise:(1) “Department” means the department of finance and administration;(2) “Sexual assault” includes victims of any of the sexual offenses set out in § 40-24-108(b)(2);(3) “Sexual assault crisis intervention” includes, …

(1) In administrating these programs, the department:(1) Shall establish an advisory committee, which shall review all program criteria adopted by the department and advise the commissioner relative to the allocation of funds under this part. The committee shall consist of five (…

(1) To receive funds under this part, organizations shall:(1) Be incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation, and be tax-exempt under § 501 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 501); and(2) Comply with §§ 37-1-403 and 37-1-605 by reporting cases of suspected child abuse and…

To receive funds under this part for sexual assault program services, all applicants shall show that they have provided sexual assault program services for at least six (6) months prior to the application for funds under this part.

A portion of the funds generated from the additional fine imposed upon persons convicted of sexual offenses pursuant to § 40-24-108 shall be used to pay the necessary expenses for any meetings of the advisory committee established by this part.

Funds distributed under this part shall be distributed as equally as possible to serve all geographic areas of the state.