KRS 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 provi ded 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 w hich 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 consu ltation

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 un der 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 dynam ics 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 addressin g 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 p rofessionals 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) ho ur 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.