As used in sections 192.2400 to 192.2505, the following terms mean:

(1) “Abuse”, the infliction of physical, sexual, or emotional injury or harm including financial exploitation by any person, firm, or corporation and bullying;

Terms Used In Missouri Laws 192.2400

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of the statutes, mean the section next preceding or next following that in which the reference is made, unless some other section is expressly designated in the reference. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Property: includes real and personal property. See Missouri Laws 1.020
  • State: when applied to any of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" includes such district and territories. See Missouri Laws 1.020

(2) “Bullying”, intimidation or harassment that causes a reasonable person to fear for his or her physical safety or property and may consist of physical actions including gestures; cyberbullying; oral, electronic, or written communication; and any threat of retaliation for reporting of such acts;

(3) “Court”, the circuit court;

(4) “Department”, the department of health and senior services;

(5) “Director”, director of the department of health and senior services or his or her designees;

(6) “Eligible adult”, a person sixty years of age or older who is unable to protect his or her own interests or adequately perform or obtain services which are necessary to meet his or her essential human needs or an adult with a disability, as defined in section 192.2005, between the ages of eighteen and fifty-nine who is unable to protect his or her own interests or adequately perform or obtain services which are necessary to meet his or her essential human needs;

(7) “Home health agency”, the same meaning as such term is defined in section 197.400;

(8) “Home health agency employee”, a person employed by a home health agency;

(9) “Home health patient”, an eligible adult who is receiving services through any home health agency;

(10) “In-home services client”, an eligible adult who is receiving services in his or her private residence through any in-home services provider agency;

(11) “In-home services employee”, a person employed by an in-home services provider agency;

(12) “In-home services provider agency”, a business entity under contract with the department or with a Medicaid participation agreement, which employs persons to deliver any kind of services provided for eligible adults in their private homes;

(13) “Least restrictive environment”, a physical setting where protective services for the eligible adult and accommodation is provided in a manner no more restrictive of an individual’s personal liberty and no more intrusive than necessary to achieve care and treatment objectives;

(14) “Likelihood of serious physical harm”, one or more of the following:

(a) A substantial risk that physical harm to an eligible adult will occur because of his or her failure or inability to provide for his or her essential human needs as evidenced by acts or behavior which has caused such harm or which gives another person probable cause to believe that the eligible adult will sustain such harm;

(b) A substantial risk that physical harm will be inflicted by an eligible adult upon himself or herself, as evidenced by recent credible threats, acts, or behavior which has caused such harm or which places another person in reasonable fear that the eligible adult will sustain such harm;

(c) A substantial risk that physical harm will be inflicted by another upon an eligible adult as evidenced by recent acts or behavior which has caused such harm or which gives another person probable cause to believe the eligible adult will sustain such harm;

(d) A substantial risk that further physical harm will occur to an eligible adult who has suffered physical injury, neglect, sexual or emotional abuse, or other maltreatment or wasting of his or her financial resources by another person;

(15) “Neglect”, the failure to provide services to an eligible adult by any person, firm or corporation with a legal or contractual duty to do so, when such failure presents either an imminent danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the client or a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm would result;

(16) “Protective services”, services provided by the state or other governmental or private organizations or individuals which are necessary for the eligible adult to meet his or her essential human needs.