JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri health officials are offering an online option for reporting adult abuse and neglect after an investigation found the state was answering fewer than half of the hotline calls.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the new system Monday in a news release. Director Randall Williams says the system will allow the agency to “ensure the health and safety of those most in need.” The hotline is open from 7 a.m. to midnight, the portal is available 24/7.
The Columbia Missourian newspaper and KBIA radio station reported in May that last year, about half of calls to the state’s adult abuse hotline went unanswered; more than 17,000 callers heard a “please call back” message, while another 10,000 callers hung up or otherwise dropped the call.
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