415.1055 – Notification to Administrative Entities.
415.1055 Notification to administrative entities.— (1) Upon receipt of a report that alleges that an employee or agent of the department, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, or the Department of Elderly Affairs, acting in an official capacity, has committed an act of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, the department shall notify the state attorney in whose circuit […]
415.106 – Cooperation by the Department and Criminal Justice and Other Agencies.
415.106 Cooperation by the department and criminal justice and other agencies.— (1) All criminal justice agencies have a duty and responsibility to cooperate fully with the department so as to enable the department to fulfill its responsibilities under ss. 415.101-415.113. Such duties include, but are not limited to, forced entry, emergency removal, emergency transportation, and the enforcement […]
415.107 – Confidentiality of Reports and Records.
415.107 Confidentiality of reports and records.— (1) In order to protect the rights of the individual or other persons responsible for the welfare of a vulnerable adult, all records concerning reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of the vulnerable adult, including reports made to the central abuse hotline, and all records generated as a result of such […]
415.1071 – Release of Confidential Information.
415.1071 Release of confidential information.— (1) Any person or organization, including the Department of Children and Families, may petition the court for an order making public the records of the Department of Children and Families which pertain to investigations of alleged abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult. The court shall determine whether good cause exists […]
415.1099 – Court and Witness Fees Not Allowed.
415.1099 Court and witness fees not allowed.—In all proceedings under ss. 415.101-415.113, court fees must not be charged to the department; to any party to a petition; to any legal custodian of records, documents, or persons; or to any adult named in a summons. In a proceeding under ss. 415.101-415.113, witness fees are not allowed to […]
415.1102 – Adult Protection Teams.
415.1102 Adult protection teams.— (1) Subject to an appropriation, the department may develop, maintain, and coordinate the services of one or more multidisciplinary adult protection teams in each of the districts of the department. As used in this section, the term “multidisciplinary adult protection team” means a team of two or more persons who are trained in […]
415.1103 – Elder Abuse Fatality Review Teams.
415.1103 Elder abuse fatality review teams.— (1)(a) A state attorney, or his or her designee, may initiate an elder abuse fatality review team in his or her judicial circuit to review deaths of elderly persons caused by, or related to, abuse or neglect. (b) An elder abuse fatality review team may include, but is not limited to, representatives […]
415.1105 – Training Programs.
415.1105 Training programs.— (1) The department shall, within available resources, provide appropriate preservice and inservice training for adult protective investigation staff. (2) Within available resources, the department shall cooperate with other appropriate agencies in developing and providing preservice and inservice training programs for those persons specified in s. 415.1034(1)(a). History.—s. 110, ch. 95-418; s. 65, ch. 2013-18.
415.111 – Criminal Penalties.
415.111 Criminal penalties.— (1) A person who knowingly and willfully fails to report a case of known or suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult, or who knowingly and willfully prevents another person from doing so, commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083. (2) A person who […]
415.1111 – Civil Actions.
415.1111 Civil actions.—A vulnerable adult who has been abused, neglected, or exploited as specified in this chapter has a cause of action against any perpetrator and may recover actual and punitive damages for such abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The action may be brought by the vulnerable adult, or that person’s guardian, by a person or organization […]