PURPOSE: This rule establishes a procedure for receipt, handling and disposition of public complaints by the board of nursing home administrators.

1. (1) The State Board of Nursing Home Administrators shall receive and process each complaint made against any licensed nursing home administrator, or other person or entity, which complaint alleges certain acts or practices which may constitute one (1) or more violations of the provisions of Chapter 344, RSMo. Any member of the public or the profession, or any federal, state or local official, may make and file a complaint with the board. Complaints received from sources outside Missouri will be processed in the same manner as those originating within Missouri. No members of the State Board of Nursing Home Administrators shall file a complaint with this board while s/he holds that office, unless that member excuses him/herself from further board deliberations or activity concerning the matters alleged within that complaint. Any staff member or employee of the board may file a complaint pursuant to this rule in the same manner as any member of the public.
2. (2) Complaints should be mailed or delivered to the following address: State Board of Nursing Home Administrators, P. O. Box 1337, 615 Howerton Court, Jefferson City, MO 65102. However, actual receipt of the complaint by the board at its administrative offices in any manner shall be sufficient. Complaints may be based upon personal knowledge, or upon information and belief, reciting information received from other sources.
3. (3) All complaints shall be made in writing and shall fully identify their maker by name and address. Complaints may be made on forms provided by the board, which shall be available upon request. Complaints need not be made by affidavit, but oral or telephone communications will not be considered or processed as complaints. Any person attempting to make an oral or telephone complaint against an individual will be provided with a complaint form and requested to complete it and return it to the board. Any staff member or employee of the board may make and file a complaint based upon information and belief, in reliance upon oral, telephone or written but unsigned communications received by the board, unless those communications are believed by that staff member or employee to be false.
4. (4) Each complaint received under this rule shall be logged in a book maintained by the board for that purpose. Complaints shall be AUTHORITY: section 344.070, RSMo Supp. logged in consecutive order as received. The 1993.* Original rule filed Oct. 4, 1988, logbook shall contain: a record of each comeffective March 15, 1989. Amended: Filed plainant’s name and address; the name and Jan. 3, 1992, effective May 14, 1992. address of the subject(s) of the complaint; the *Original authority 1969, amended 1979, 1993. date each complaint is received by the board; a brief statement of the acts complained of, including the name of any person injured or victimized by the alleged acts or practices; a notation whether the complaint resulted in its dismissal by the board or in formal charges being filed with the Administrative Hearing Commission; and the ultimate disposition of the complaint. This logbook shall be a closed record of the board.
5. (5) Each complaint logged pursuant to this rule shall be acknowledged in writing. The acknowledgment shall state that the complaint is being investigated and shall be referred to the board or an appropriate board subcommittee for consideration following the investigation. The complainant may be notified of the ultimate disposition of the complaint, excluding judicial appeals, and may be provided with a copy of the decisions (if any) of the Administrative Hearing Commission and the board. The provisions of this section shall not apply to complaints filed by staff members or employees of the board, based upon information and belief, acting in reliance on third-party information received by the board.
6. (6) Both the complaint and any information obtained as a result of the complaint investigation shall be considered a closed record of the board and shall not be available for inspection by the public.
7. (7) This rule shall not be deemed to limit the board’s authority to file a complaint with the Administrative Hearing Commission or with a court, charging a licensee, permittee or other person or entity with any actionable conduct or violation, whether or not this complaint exceeds the scope of the acts charged in a preliminary public complaint filed with the board and whether or not any public complaint has been filed with the board.
8. (8) The board interprets this rule, which is required by law, to exist for the benefit of those members of the public who submit complaints to the board. This rule is not deemed to protect or to inure to the benefit of those licensees, permit holders, registrants or other persons or entities against whom the board has instituted or may institute administrative or judicial proceedings concerning possible violations of the provisions of Chapter 344, RSMo.