Florida Statutes
Fla. Stat. § 415.103 (2025)
Central abuse hotline.
✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session
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415.103 Central abuse hotline.—
(1) The department shall establish and maintain a central abuse hotline that receives all reports made pursuant to s. 415.1034 in writing or through a single statewide toll-free telephone number. Any person may use the statewide toll-free telephone number to report known or suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult at any hour of the day or night, any day of the week. The central abuse hotline must be operated in such a manner as to enable the department to:
(a) Accept reports for investigation when there is a reasonable cause to suspect that a vulnerable adult has been or is being abused, neglected, or exploited.
(b) Determine whether the allegations made by the reporter require an immediate, 24-hour, or next-working-day response priority.
(c) When appropriate, refer calls that do not allege the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult to other organizations that might better resolve the reporter’s concerns.
(d) Immediately identify and locate prior reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation through the central abuse hotline.
(e) Track critical steps in the investigative process to ensure compliance with all requirements for all reports.
(f) Maintain data to facilitate the production of aggregate statistical reports for monitoring patterns of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
(g) Serve as a resource for the evaluation, management, and planning of preventive and remedial services for vulnerable adults who have been subject to abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
(2) Upon receiving an oral or written report of known or suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult, the central abuse hotline must determine if the report requires an immediate onsite protective investigation. For reports requiring an immediate onsite protective investigation, the central abuse hotline must immediately notify the department’s designated protective investigative district staff responsible for protective investigations to ensure prompt initiation of an onsite investigation. For reports not requiring an immediate onsite protective investigation, the central abuse hotline must notify the department’s designated protective investigative district staff responsible for protective investigations in sufficient time to allow for an investigation to be commenced within 24 hours. At the time of notification of district staff with respect to the report, the central abuse hotline must also provide any known information on any previous report concerning a subject of the present report or any pertinent information relative to the present report or any noted earlier reports. If the report is of known or suspected abuse of a vulnerable adult by someone other than a relative, caregiver, or household member, the report shall be immediately transferred to the appropriate county sheriff’s office.
(3) The department shall set standards, priorities, and policies to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the central abuse hotline.
History.—ss. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, ch. 73-176; s. 1, ch. 77-174; ss. 3, 5, ch. 79-287; s. 15, ch. 79-298; s. 1, ch. 80-293; s. 1, ch. 83-82; s. 67, ch. 86-163; s. 29, ch. 86-220; s. 30, ch. 87-238; s. 16, ch. 88-337; s. 27, ch. 89-294; s. 2, ch. 90-50; s. 45, ch. 90-306; s. 2, ch. 91-57; s. 14, ch. 91-71; s. 36, ch. 95-210; s. 95, ch. 95-418; s. 27, ch. 2000-349; s. 3, ch. 2010-31.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11
cases, 1989–2019 · leading case: K.M.T. v. Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 608 So. 2d 865 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992).
K.M.T. v. Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 608 So. 2d 865 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992). “On or about August 1, 1990, the amended version of section 415.103 took effect, which eliminated the pre-hearing termination penalty of subsection (3).”
Bb v. Dept. of Health & Rehab. Serv., 542 So. 2d 1362 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989). “as the abuser, and placed the report in its abuse registry maintained pursuant to section 415.103, Florida Statutes (1987).”
Bohannon v. Shands Teaching Hosp., 983 So. 2d 717 (Fla. 1st DCA 2008). “" It alleged that the hospital and its employees were "entrusted with, or assumed the responsibility for, frequent and regular care of or services to [Gould] with the commitment, agreement or understanding with him that a caregivers [sic] role existed as the term is defined in…”
Nickens v. Florida Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 633 So. 2d 1160 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994). “However, through the course of revisions in 1990 and 1991, section 415.103 was amended to delete the classification of “indicated report” and to provide that “[u]pon completion of its investigation, the department shall classify reports as ‘proposed confirmed’ or ‘unfounded,’…”
Jett v. State, 605 So. 2d 926 (Fla. 5th DCA 1992). “[3] §§ 415.103; 415.504, Fla. Stat. (1989). [4] §§ 415.”
Kmt v. Dept. of H & R Serv., 608 So. 2d 865 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992). “" The language of section 415.103 in 1989 required that the information relating to a confirmed report be entered in the abuse registry before the alleged perpetrator had the opportunity to contest such report (otherwise, the alleged perpetrator would not be given the…”
Repub. Nat'l Bank of Miami v. Johnson ex rel. Guardianship Prog. of Dade Cnty., Inc., 622 So. 2d 1015 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993). “” § 415.103(l)(a)(7), Fla.Stat. (1991) (emphasis added).”
Specialty Hosp.-Gainesville, Inc. v. Charles Barth (Fla. 1st DCA 2019). “103(1), Florida Statutes, regarding the “Central Abuse Hotline”: “The department shall establish and maintain a central abuse hotline that receives all reports made pursuant to section 415.1034 in writing or through a statewide toll-free 10 telephone number.”
B.B.A. v. Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 581 So. 2d 955 (Fla. 1st DCA 1991). “The procedures for conducting an investigation of a report of abuse are provided for in Section 415.103. The appellant stipulated that the Department followed the required procedures in this case.”
E.V. v. Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 615 So. 2d 251 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993). “Pursuant to Section 415.103, Florida Statutes (Supp.1990), HRS establishes and maintains a central abuse registry and tracking system which contains confirmed reports of persons who have committed acts of abuse, neglect, or exploitation upon a child.”
A.O. v. Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 696 So. 2d 1358 (Fla. 1st DCA 1997). “The HRS order allowed his name to be placed on the state’s abuse registry pursuant to section 415.103, Florida Statutes (1993).”
— 415.103(1) — 1 case
Specialty Hosp.-Gainesville, Inc. v. Charles Barth (Fla. 1st DCA 2019). “103(1), Florida Statutes, regarding the “Central Abuse Hotline”: “The department shall establish and maintain a central abuse hotline that receives all reports made pursuant to section 415.1034 in writing or through a statewide toll-free 10 telephone number.”
— 415.103(3) — 3 cases
K.M.T. v. Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 608 So. 2d 865 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992). “On or about August 1, 1990, the amended version of section 415.103 took effect, which eliminated the pre-hearing termination penalty of subsection (3).”
Kmt v. Dept. of H & R Serv., 608 So. 2d 865 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992). “" The language of section 415.103 in 1989 required that the information relating to a confirmed report be entered in the abuse registry before the alleged perpetrator had the opportunity to contest such report (otherwise, the alleged perpetrator would not be given the…”
Nickens v. Florida Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 633 So. 2d 1160 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994). “However, through the course of revisions in 1990 and 1991, section 415.103 was amended to delete the classification of “indicated report” and to provide that “[u]pon completion of its investigation, the department shall classify reports as ‘proposed confirmed’ or ‘unfounded,’…”
— 415.103(3)(c) — 4 cases
K.M.T. v. Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 608 So. 2d 865 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992). “On or about August 1, 1990, the amended version of section 415.103 took effect, which eliminated the pre-hearing termination penalty of subsection (3).”
Nickens v. Florida Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 633 So. 2d 1160 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994). “However, through the course of revisions in 1990 and 1991, section 415.103 was amended to delete the classification of “indicated report” and to provide that “[u]pon completion of its investigation, the department shall classify reports as ‘proposed confirmed’ or ‘unfounded,’…”
Kmt v. Dept. of H & R Serv., 608 So. 2d 865 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992). “" The language of section 415.103 in 1989 required that the information relating to a confirmed report be entered in the abuse registry before the alleged perpetrator had the opportunity to contest such report (otherwise, the alleged perpetrator would not be given the…”
B.B.A. v. Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 581 So. 2d 955 (Fla. 1st DCA 1991). “The procedures for conducting an investigation of a report of abuse are provided for in Section 415.103. The appellant stipulated that the Department followed the required procedures in this case.”
— 415.103(3)(d) — 2 cases
K.M.T. v. Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 608 So. 2d 865 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992). “On or about August 1, 1990, the amended version of section 415.103 took effect, which eliminated the pre-hearing termination penalty of subsection (3).”
Kmt v. Dept. of H & R Serv., 608 So. 2d 865 (Fla. 1st DCA 1992). “" The language of section 415.103 in 1989 required that the information relating to a confirmed report be entered in the abuse registry before the alleged perpetrator had the opportunity to contest such report (otherwise, the alleged perpetrator would not be given the…”
— 415.103(3)(e) — 1 case
Nickens v. Florida Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 633 So. 2d 1160 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994). “However, through the course of revisions in 1990 and 1991, section 415.103 was amended to delete the classification of “indicated report” and to provide that “[u]pon completion of its investigation, the department shall classify reports as ‘proposed confirmed’ or ‘unfounded,’…”
— 415.103(4) — 1 case
Bohannon v. Shands Teaching Hosp., 983 So. 2d 717 (Fla. 1st DCA 2008). “" It alleged that the hospital and its employees were "entrusted with, or assumed the responsibility for, frequent and regular care of or services to [Gould] with the commitment, agreement or understanding with him that a caregivers [sic] role existed as the term is defined in…”
— 415.103(c) — 1 case
Nickens v. Florida Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 633 So. 2d 1160 (Fla. 1st DCA 1994). “However, through the course of revisions in 1990 and 1991, section 415.103 was amended to delete the classification of “indicated report” and to provide that “[u]pon completion of its investigation, the department shall classify reports as ‘proposed confirmed’ or ‘unfounded,’…”
— 415.103(l)(a)(7) — 1 case
Repub. Nat'l Bank of Miami v. Johnson ex rel. Guardianship Prog. of Dade Cnty., Inc., 622 So. 2d 1015 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993). “” § 415.103(l)(a)(7), Fla.Stat. (1991) (emphasis added).”
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