Missouri § 210.183 - Alleged perpetrator to be provided written description of investigation process.

§ 210.183. Alleged perpetrator to be provided written description of investigation process.

1.  At the time of the initial investigation of a report of child abuse or neglect, the division employee conducting the investigation shall provide the alleged perpetrator with a written description of the investigation process.  Such written notice shall be given substantially in the following form:

"The investigation is being undertaken by the Children's Division pursuant to the requirements of chapter 210 of the Revised Missouri Statutes in response to a report of child abuse or neglect.

The identity of the person who reported the incident of abuse or neglect is confidential and may not even be known to the Division since the report could have been made anonymously.

This investigation is required by law to be conducted in order to enable the Children's Division to identify incidents of abuse or neglect in order to provide protective or preventive social services to families who are in need of such services.

The division shall make every reasonable attempt to complete the investigation within forty-five days, except for good cause which shall be documented, otherwise, within ninety days, or one hundred ^* twenty days after receipt of a report of abuse or neglect involving sexual abuse, or when the division's investigation is complete in cases involving a child fatality or near-fatality, you will receive a letter from the Division which will inform you of one of the following:

(1)  That the Division has found insufficient evidence of abuse or neglect; or

(2)  That there appears to be by a preponderance of the evidence reason to suspect the existence of child abuse or neglect in the judgment of the Division and that the Division will contact the family to offer social services.

If the Division finds by a preponderance of the evidence reason to believe child abuse or neglect has occurred or the case is substantiated by court adjudication, a record of the report and information gathered during the investigation will remain on file with the Division.

If you disagree with the determination of the Division and feel that there is insufficient reason to believe by a preponderance of the evidence that abuse or neglect has occurred, you have a right to request an administrative review at which time you may hire an attorney to represent you.  If you request an administrative review on the issue, you will be notified of the date and time of your administrative review hearing by the child abuse and neglect review board.  If the Division's decision is reversed by the child abuse and neglect review board, the Division records concerning the report and investigation will be updated to reflect such finding.  If the child abuse and neglect review board upholds the Division's decision, an appeal may be filed in circuit court within sixty days of the child abuse and neglect review board's decision.".

2.  If the division uses the family assessment approach, the division shall at the time of the initial contact provide the parent of the child with the following information:

(1)  The purpose of the contact with the family;

(2)  The name of the person responding and his or her office telephone number;

(3)  The assessment process to be followed during the division's intervention with the family including the possible services available and expectations of the family.

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(L. 1986 S.B. 470 § 2, A.L. 1994 S.B. 595, A.L. 2004 H.B. 1453, A.L. 2007 S.B. 25, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1092 merged with S.B. 869)

*Word "and" appears here in original rolls.

---- end of effective  28 Aug 2014 ----

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