The Nevada Regional Medical Center sent two homeless women to Joplin after their Medicaid ran out, according to a lawsuit filed December 22 in Jasper County Circuit Court.
The City of Joplin is asking the court to issue a permanent injunction preventing the medical center from sending patients to Joplin.
In the first case cited in the petition, the city claims Nevada Regional Medical Center sent a Kansas City woman to Joplin via a Medicaid-funded transport, telling the woman a bed was available for her at Watered Gardens and that she could receive treatment at Ozark Behavioral Health.
Watered Gardens had no beds available, according to the petition, and only accepts people from within a 30-mile radius of Joplin.
The second woman sent here by Nevada Regional Medical Center, according to the petition, was from Butler.
From the petition:
On or about July 30, 2025, NRMC discharged {a woman} from the psychiatric ward and arranged a Medicaid transport for her to Joplin.Upon the information and belief of Plaintiff, prior to discharging, NRMC was engaged in the proprietary function of administering medical treatment to {her} in exchange for compensation from Medicaid.
Upon the information and belief of Plaintiff, there was no medical purpose for the Medicaid transport of {the woman}.
Upon the information and belief of Plaintiff, {the woman} was discharged by NRMC upon the expiration of Medicaid benefits.
Upon the information and belief of Plaintiff, NRMC had falsely informed {her} that a bed was available for her at a homeless shelter, Watered Gardens. Watered Gardens turned {her} away upon her arrival.
Watered Gardens did not have any beds available and further does not accept patrons beyond a thirty-mile radius.
Upon the information and belief of Plaintiff, NRMC had also falsely informed {the woman} that she would receive continued health care at Ozark Behavioral Health. Upon the information and belief of Plaintiff, NRMC had not arranged any medical care for {her} in Joplin.
NRMC caused {the woman} to become stranded on the streets of Joplin. {She} is severely disabled both mentally and physically.
Upon rejecting her from the shelter, an employee called the Joplin Police Department to remove her from the premises, and otherwise assist {her}.
An officer arrived to find {the woman} borderline incoherent, not understanding where she was or why she was in Joplin, and struggling to walk without assistance.
The officer reviewed the discharge paperwork {she}shared with him, which stated {several words redacted}.
{She} was transported to a local hospital for medical care by the police officer.
{The woman} is not from Joplin; having most recently resided in Kansas City.
{The woman} is not from Joplin; having most recently resided in Kansas City.
NRMC owed a duty to Plaintiff to not cause an unreasonable interference with its public health, safety and peace, as well as, not to cause an undue burden on its taxpayers or strain the resources and personnel of its first responders.
The unsanctioned displacement of {the woman} by NRMC unreasonably interfered with public health, public safety and public peace in the City of Joplin.
The unsanctioned displacement of {the woman} by NRMC unreasonably interfered with public health, public safety and public peace in the City of Joplin.
The interference of NRMC resulted in special injury to the Plaintiff in that it caused Plaintiff to incur unreasonable and unwarranted costs and expenses to process NRMC’s displaced patients.
As a direct and proximate cause of the actions of NRMC, Plaintiff has been damaged.
The special injury to Plaintiff is differing in kind and not merely in degree from the general injury to the public health, safety and peace.
NRMC’s actions caused a public nuisance in the City of Joplin.
On November 3rd, 2025, the City of Joplin amended its criminal code, Chapter 82 –Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, Article V. - Offenses Against Health and Safety,by enacting a new section 82-213 prohibiting the displacement of transient individuals to the City of Joplin.
Wherefore, Plaintiff prays this Court enter its judgment in favor of the Plaintiff toaward and order that the Plaintiff recover reasonable damages, and that the Court award Plaintiff its costs incurred in this action; and for such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.
COUNT II – PUBLIC NUISANCE
Upon the officer's arrival, {the woman} reported that she was discharged from NRMC upon the expiration of Medicaid benefits, and sent to Joplin via Medicaid transport.
Upon the information and belief of Plaintiff, there was no medical purpose for the transport of {the woman} to Joplin.
Upon the information and belief of Plaintiff, prior to discharging {the woman} , NRMC was engaged in the proprietary function of administering medical treatment to {her} in exchange for compensation from Medicaid.
Upon the information and belief of Plaintiff, NRMC had falsely assured that a bed at a homeless shelter had been arranged.
Upon the information and belief of Plaintiff, NRMC falsely assured that medical care had been arranged for her in Joplin.
{The woman" requested the police officer pay for her to stay in a hotel room. When she was informed there were no funds to do so, she requested to be placed under arrest so she could sleep in jail for the night.
{The woman} is not from Joplin; she is from Butler, Missouri.
NRMC caused a individual to be displaced in Joplin.
NRMC owed a duty to Plaintiff to not cause an unreasonable interference with its public health, safety and peace, as well as not to cause an undue burden on its taxpayers or strain the resources and personnel of its first responders.
By directly displacing {the woman } NRMC caused the City of Joplin to utilize taxpayer resources in order to maintain public health, public safety, and public peace.
The interference of NRMC resulted in special injury to the Plaintiff in that it caused Plaintiff to incur unreasonable and unwarranted costs and expenses to process NRMC’s displaced patients.
The special injury to Plaintiff is differing in kind and not merely in degree from the general injury to the public health, safety and peace.
As a direct and proximate cause of the actions of NRMC, Plaintiff has been damaged.
The actions of NRMC created a public nuisance in the City of Joplin by unreasonably interfering with public health, public safety and public peace.
The unsanctioned displacement of by NRMC unreasonably interfered with public health, public safety and public peace in the City of Joplin.
NRMC’s actions caused a public nuisance in the City of Joplin.
On November 3rd, 2025, the City of Joplin amended its criminal code, Chapter 82 – Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions, Article V. - Offenses Against Health and Safety, by enacting a new section 82-213 prohibiting the displacement of transient individuals to the City of Joplin.
Wherefore, Plaintiff prays this Court enter its judgment in favor of the Plaintiff to award and order that the Plaintiff recover reasonable damages, and that the Court award Plaintiff its costs incurred in this action; and for such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.
The city is asking the court for a temporary restraining order, an injunction and a permanent restraining order against Nevada Regional Medical Center.
The city is represented by Grant D. Johnson of the Springfield firm of Cowherd, Reade, Adair & Laney, LLC.
9 comments:
Watered gardens and Ozark center have done nothing but create a system of drawing homeless people in, getting them services that are paid for by grants, or until Medicaid stops paying. Then they move on to the next person. That's why they need so many new fresh bodies coming into Joplin.
Cities that dump homeless individuals on to other cities, should be fined.
We call these people "The Joplin Rats". They do not have one positive benefit to society, except keeping our police and the makers of kid's BMX dirt bikes busy.
Businesses and organizations that profit, thrive, and perpetuate the problem should be shut down
The homeless population has seemed to increase put by 32nd and Range Line near the hotels. Been told stories about how many of the homeless will pool money gathered from begging at the stop lights, the go rent a room at a hotel and then 30 or more when use the hotel room to shower, make phone calls and stay for the night. Hotels are in bad shape due to the presence of the homeless population increas
Some very evil and broken non homeless hatemongers on this thread. 1200, 908 in particular. Very repulsive indeed.
that is how I knew that out of state survey or whatever it was called was a complete waste of money. We had very capable local people that could have done a far better job. I personally worked with one of the people brought in from a facility in Vinita, OK that was dropped off at watered Gardens, had a sex offense and was seriously mentally ill after multple arrests with the help of Catholic Charities we got ahold of his brother and got him a bus ticket to go live with him. It was hearbreaking as that never should have happened to him.
watered Gardens does not accept grants!
These homeless people are somebody’s kids, I don’t know what the solution is but I do know we must still have compassion. Drugs are the leading cause to homelessness, yet we only incarcerate the users for the most part. Society glorifies sex,drugs,pornography,alternate reality/genders/lifestyles, and we wonder why we have issues.
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