Purpose/Hypothesis: Home health care professionals are in a unique position to identify the mistreatment of older adults. The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge base of home health care professionals in Kentucky regarding the topic of elder mistreatment. Subjects: A random selection of home health care agencies in Kentucky were identified through a web site with a complete listing. 500 surveys were mailed and 201 surveys (40%) were returned representing over half of the agencies. Professionals represented were: Physical therapists (PT)12%,physical therapist assistants (PTA)4%, registered nurses (RN) 62%, speech language pathologists (SLP) 3%, licensed practical nurses (LPN) 6%, occupational therapists (OT) 6%, certified OT assistants (COTA)<1%, other 3%. Materials/Methods: The survey was developed based on qualitative information received from focus groups conducted with PTs and PTAs and consisted of the following areas: demographics, legal requirements, distinguishing among multiple types of mistreatment, barriers to recognizing and reporting elder mistreatment, sources of education on the topic, and recommendations for professional development in this area. The analysis of results was descriptive and performed using the Access database. Results: Of the 201 respondents, 61% (65% of PTs) had practiced 11 years or more. 35% of all respondents (26% of PTs and PTAs) indicated they were very knowledgeable about the topic of elder mistreatment and 58% (63% of PTs and PTAs) were somewhat knowledgeable. Of the group perceiving themselves as somewhat or very knowledgeable, 98% were aware that they were required to report, 79% knew that reporting could be anonymous, and 86% knew they were not liable. Of this group, 63% were able to accurately identify an abusive situation from a case scenario and 93% were able to identify neglect. Barriers identified for reporting suspected mistreatment were: fear of retaliation, lack of confidence in the system, uncertainty of suspicions, potential for escalation of abuse, patient fear of going to live in a nursing home, and concern that patient or family would avoid seeking future medical care. Of all respondents, 38% had received less than 3 hours of education, while 33% had received 3–5 hours of education on this topic. Most valuable education received was: on the job training (51%) and continuing education (24%). Recommendations by PT respondents for future professional development included annual reviews of signs and symptoms through such approaches as on-line or in person continuing education. Conclusions: While the majority of home health practitioners surveyed were knowledgeable about elder mistreatment, there were substantial barriers and knowledge deficits identified by respondents and investigators. Increased education regarding identification and reporting of elder mistreatment is recommended. Clinical Relevance: Creative approaches to on-going continuing education such as web based educational programs would assist clinicians as they strive to stay updated on this topic.