HS/SS#2/SCS/SB 279- This act provides case manager services to pregnant women with the goal of reducing infant mortality, out-of-wedlock conception, inadequate prenatal care and abortion. Case manager services shall include: 1) helping women obtain support services; 2) assisting women in obtaining prenatal care; 3) promoting adoption; and 4) verifying that these women are fully informed about the consequences of abortion and that their choices are freely made.

The case manager shall inform each client that accepting case manager services is voluntary. A signed written verification form must be immediately given to the client upon the client's request. The verification form shall list the name of the case manager and state that the client has been offered case management services and signed by the case manager. If the client refuses services and is not immediately given a signed verification form by the case manager, the client may obtain an affidavit, signed by a notary, that the case manager refused to provide a verification form. The notarized statement shall serve in lieu of the signed verification form.

The Missouri Department of Health shall define the minimum standards for training of case manager. Training of case managers may be provided by any accredited public or private post-secondary school or institution which is a public or private community college, four year college or university located within the state. The post-secondary school or institution will certify the case manager.

Upon certification, case managers shall register with the Department of Health and the Circuit Clerk for the county in which the case manager expects to offer case manager services. The registration shall include the name, address, county and telephone number where the case manager may be contacted for services.

The Circuit Clerk shall maintain a registration list of all case managers who expect to offer services for persons in that county. The Clerk shall charge a registration fee of $10. A list of all case managers shall be provided to women needing case manager services at no cost. However, the Clerk may charge reasonable copying charges to all other persons requesting a copy of the case manager list.

The Department of Health shall also maintain a registration list of all case managers who expect to offer services for persons in the state. The Department of Health's registration list shall also give the case manager's date of birth. The Department shall charge a registration fee of $10. A list of all case managers, in the state and in a specific county, shall be available to women needing case manager services at no cost. However, the Department may charge reasonable copying charges to all other persons requesting a copy of the case manager list.

No case manager shall verify that services have been offered unless he completes the training program, obtains certification and registers with the Department of Health and the Circuit Clerk in which he will be providing case manager services. A certificate of training shall expire after three years.

The Family Court may revoke a case manager's training certificate if the case manager fails to comply with the terms of this act. When ever any person has cause to believe that a case manager has acted in a manner inconsistent with the provisions of this act, such person may make a complaint, orally or in writing, to the Department or to the Family Court.

Any city, county or state public health department may provide a place for case managers and clients to meet. The case manager shall use a system of identification codes for record keeping which protects the anonymity of the client. All records shall be delivered to the client upon demand or destroyed within 30 days after a case manager completes services to the client.

Disclosure of information without the client's consent or a failure to destroy records may subject the case manager to civil actions and shall be grounds for revocation of the case manager's certificate.

A health facility must receive verification from the client that the client has been offered case manager services prior to performing an induced abortion. It shall be illegal to perform an abortion without this verification, except in cases of rape or incest as reported to a law enforcement agency.

A verification is not required if a physician indicates that an abortion is medically necessary or in the case of a medical emergency. A verification is not required if there is not a case manager registered with the Department to provide services in the county in which a client resides.

If case manager services will not be available within 72 hours after the client contacts the case manager, the case manager shall immediately give the client a verification.

The Department shall furnish, on request, a current list of all counties in which no case managers are registered. A list of all case managers registered to provide services shall be available to clients in abortion facilities.

It is unlawful for a case manager to have any economic interest in an abortion facility. It shall also be unlawful for a person to be a case manager who advocates violence, or who has been convicted of a misdemeanor, other than a traffic violation, or felony. JAMES KLAHR AND CHERYL GRAZIER