Yes.  Missouri Statute 210.115 provides information about who is considered to be a mandatory reporter of child abuse and the responsibility of mandatory reporters to report abuse. 

Yes. Missouri Statute 210.110 defines “abuse” as “any physical injury, sexual abuse, or emotional abuse inflicted on a child other than by accidental means by those responsible for the child's care, custody, and control, except that discipline including spanking, administered in a reasonable manner, shall not be construed to be abuse.” 

Yes. Missouri Statute 210.110 defines “neglect” as “failure to provide, by those responsible for the care, custody, and control of the child, the proper or necessary support, education as required by law, nutrition or medical, surgical, or any other care necessary for the child's well-being.”

Yes.  Missouri Children’s Division offers an on-line reporting system as well as a telephone hotline number.  It is the expectation of the Diocese for mandated reporters of suspected child abuse or neglect to make a telephone hotline call rather than submitting an online report. 

As of the date of this memorandum, the hotline number is 1-800-392-3738.

A copy of the abuse/neglect reporting form is below.  This form can serve as a guide for the information that is helpful to have, to the extent it is available, before making a hotline report.  If it is not possible to obtain all of the information sought in the form, this should not delay the making of a hotline report.  Timely reporting is the goal.

CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT HOTLINE CALL FORM

Directions:  Please complete this form.  If the abuse or neglect is reported in a school context, provide the completed form to the Principal/Administrator of the school.  If the abuse/neglect is reported in a parish context, provide the completed form to the Pastor of the parish.  If the abuse/neglect is reported in a diocesan context, provide the completed form to the Chancellor of the Diocese.

NAME OF MINOR WHO MAY HAVE BEEN ABUSED OR NEGLECTED: 

SEX:   M / F                 DATE OF BIRTH:                                           

ADDRESS:

PHONE:

PARENTS/GUARDIAN: 

SIBLINGS:                              

TIMING, NATURE AND EXTENT OF INJURIES/NEGLECT/OTHER ABUSE:  (Describe below):

COMMENTS RELATED TO THE INCIDENT: (Describe below):

PRIOR CONCERNS OF ABUSE/NEGLECT: (Describe below):

ALLEGED PERPETRATOR:                                                                          

ADDRESS:                                                                                                     

RELATIONSHIP TO MINOR:                                                                        

ABUSE/NEGLECT REPORTED BY:                                                              

OCCUPATION:                                                                                              

DATE REPORTED:                                        

PERSON RECEIVING THE REPORT OF ABUSE/NEGLECT:                                                         

HOTLINE CALL MADE?    Y / N

DATE/TIME OF HOTLINE REPORT:                                    

HOTLINE REPRESENTATIVE’S NAME and ID NUMBER:

Yes.  Missouri law requires reports to be made, even if the individual who is accused of abuse did not have care, custody or control of the minor alleged to have been abused.  If there are questions, please contact diocesan legal counsel.

A “vulnerable adult/person” is defined by Church law as “any person in a state of infirmity, physical or mental deficiency, or deprivation of personal liberty which, in fact, even occasionally, limits their ability to understand or to want or otherwise resist the offence.”