JASPER COUNTY, Mo. (KOAM) — The City of Joplin sues the Nevada hospital for allegedly leaving two transients stranded in Joplin, breaking a recently passed ordinance.
A recent ordinance passed by Joplin made it illegal to intentionally drop off transient individuals within City limits. A lawsuit they filed against the Nevada Regional Medical Center (NRMC) on December 22, 2025, claims the hospital did just that. (scroll to read more about the Joplin Ordinance)
According to court documents, NRMC transported discharged patients to Joplin, assuring them they would have shelter. However, court documents state NRMC would bring them to Joplin and leave them “stranded,” and that one of the patients is “severely disabled both mentally and physically.”
According to the lawsuit, NRMC discharged the two patients because their Medicaid benefits expired.
The lawsuit claims NRMC brought two discharged patients to Joplin, even though neither of them resides in Joplin. One patient most recently resided in Kansas City, and the other is from Butler, Missouri.
The City of Joplin alleges NRMC “wrongfully and injuriously” invaded the rights of the city and the public.
In the petition, the City of Joplin is seeking relief in damages and court costs, as well as a permanent injunction preventing NRMC from displacing patients to Joplin without prearranged shelter and medical treatment plans.
Transient Ordinance
Joplin moves to ban dumping homeless people within city limits
In November, the Joplin City Council voted to ban the practice of “homeless dumping” within city limits, passing a new ordinance that makes it illegal to intentionally drop off transient individuals in the community.
The ordinance specifically prohibits any person, entity, or agent from outside city limits from knowingly transporting and dropping off non-local transient individuals on public property or private property accessible to the public within Joplin. The ban applies when the person being transported lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.
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