Charges
Caregiver Neglect Laws
Emotional/Psychological Laws
Financial Exploitation Laws
Physical Abuse Laws
Sexual Abuse/Assault Laws
Statutes
Nonsupport and Flagrant Nonsupport
(a) A person commits the crime of nonsupport who fails to provide support which that person is able to provide and knows the person has a duty to provide to a minor child or to a child or spouse who, because of physical or mental disability, is unable to be self-supporting.
(b) “Child” includes legitimate children and children whose parentage has been admitted by the person charged or established by judicial action.
(c) “Support” includes, but is not limited to, financial assistance, food, shelter, clothing, medical attention or, if determined elsewhere by law, other necessary care.
(d) A person commits the offense of flagrant nonsupport who:
(1) Leaves or remains without the state to avoid a legal duty of support; or
(2) Having been convicted one (1) or more times of nonsupport or flagrant nonsupport, is convicted of a subsequent offense under this section.
(e)
(1) Nonsupport under subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor.
(2) Flagrant nonsupport under subsection (d) is a Class E felony.
Willful abuse, neglect or exploitation prohibited — Penalty
State Mandated Reporting
Tennessee
6-103
Who has to report?
Any person, including, but not limited to, a physician, nurse,
social worker, department personnel, coroner, medical examiner, alternate care facility employee, or caretaker.
When to report?
Any person having reasonable cause to suspect that an adult has suffered abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
How to report?
An oral or written report shall be made immediately to the department of human services. If a hospital, clinic, school, or any other organization or agency responsible for the care of adults has a specific procedure, approved by the director of adult protective services for the department, or the director's designee, for the protection of adults who are victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, any member of its staff whose duty to report under the provisions of this part arises from the performance of the staff member's services as a member of the staff of the organization may, at the staff member's option, fulfill that duty by reporting instead to the person in charge of the organization or the organization head's designee who shall make the report in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
Tennessee Adult Protective Services: 888-APS-TENN or 888-277-836
http://www.tennessee.gov/humanservices/article/adult-protective-services
