Ky. Rev. Stat. § 194A.540

Current through Acts Received April 24, 2024
Section 194A.540 - Cabinet's manner of addressing child abuse, child neglect, domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault - Coordination, consultation, recommendations, and training

The cabinet shall address child abuse, child neglect, domestic violence, rape, and sexual assault in a manner that includes but is not limited to:

(1) Providing coordinative functions so that no services funded or provided by state government agencies are duplicative to ensure the greatest efficiency in the use of resources and funding, and to ensure that a consistent philosophy underlies all efforts undertaken by the administration in initiatives related to child abuse, child neglect, domestic violence, and rape or sexual assault;
(2) Providing training and consultation to programs provided or funded by the state which provide services to victims of child abuse, child neglect, domestic violence, rape or sexual assault, and other crimes;
(3) Working in conjunction with staff from the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and other staff within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and with input from direct service providers throughout Kentucky, to develop standards of care for victim and offender services provided or funded by the state;
(4) Designing and implementing research programs which attend to the quality of victim-related services;
(5) Providing consultation on the development of budgets for the rape crisis, child abuse, child neglect, and domestic violence programs funded by the state;
(6) Providing recommendations to the Governor and to the secretaries of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, related to the improvement and expansion of victim services provided or funded by those agencies;
(7) Undertaking new and progressive initiatives to improve and enhance the delivery of services to victims of child abuse, child neglect, domestic violence, and rape or sexual assault;
(8) Establishing that the commissioner of the Department for Community Based Services may, at the request of the Governor or any secretary, serve as a designee on boards, commissions, task forces, or other committees addressing child abuse, domestic violence, and rape or sexual assault;
(9) Establishing that the secretary for health and family services shall, in consultation with the applicable licensure boards, develop elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation-related and domestic violence-related training courses that are appropriate for the following professions:
(a) Mental health professionals licensed or certified under KRS Chapters 309, 319, and 335;
(b) Alcohol and drug counselors licensed or certified under KRS Chapter 309, and alcohol and drug peer support specialists registered under KRS Chapter 309;
(c) Physicians who practice primary care, as defined in KRS 164.925, or who meet the definition of a psychiatrist under KRS 202A.011, and who are licensed under KRS Chapter 311;
(d) Nurses licensed under KRS Chapter 314;
(e) Paramedics certified under KRS Chapter 311;
(f) Emergency medical technicians certified under KRS Chapter 211; and
(g) Coroners as defined in KRS 72.405 and medical examiners as defined in KRS 72.240;
(10) Establishing that the courses identified in subsection (9) of this section shall include the dynamics of domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; effects of domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation on adult and child victims; legal remedies for protection; lethality and risk issues; model protocols for addressing domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; available community resources and victim services; and reporting requirements. The training shall be developed in consultation with legal, victim services, victim advocacy, and mental health professionals with an expertise in domestic violence and elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; and
(11) Establishing that any health-care or mental health professional identified in subsection (9) of this section shall successfully complete a three (3) hour training course that meets the requirements of subsection (10) of this section. Health care or mental health professionals identified in subsection (9) of this section who are granted licensure or certification after July 15, 1996, shall successfully complete the training within three (3) years of the date of initial licensure or certification.

KRS 194A.540

Amended by 2015 Ky. Acts ch. 29,§ 17, eff. 6/22/2015.
Amended by 2012 Ky. Acts ch. 158,§ 19, eff. 7/11/2012.
Amended 2005, Ky. Acts ch. 99, sec. 160, effective 6/20/2005; and ch. 132, sec. 17, effective 6/20/2005. -- Amended 2000, Ky. Acts ch. 317, sec. 1, effective 7/14/2000. -- Created 1998, Ky. Acts ch. 426, sec. 27, effective 7/15/1998.