Adult Protective Services (APS)

Adult Protective Services offers protective services to elderly and dependent adults who are at risk for abuse, neglect, or exploitation by themselves or others. We investigate reports of alleged elder or dependent adult abuse and can help you obtain additional supportive services. The focus of APS is to help maintain older and dependent adults in their own homes.

Services include:

•  In-person emergency response, 24 hours a day, seven days per week, to reports involving immediate life threats of an elder or a dependent adult 
•  Information and referral 
•  Needs assessments 
•  Remedial and preventative social work activities 
•  Emergency shelter 
•  In-home protection 
• Tangible support services, as resources allow, which may include emergency food, clothing, repair or replacement of essential appliances, plumbing and electrical repair, blankets, linens and other household goods, advocacy with utility companies, and emergency response units 

Types of abuse:

• Physical, Sexual, Financial, Psychological and Mental Suffering.
• Neglect by Others - Neglect, Abandonment, Isolation, and Abduction.
• Self Neglect - Physical and Medical Care, Health and Safety Hazards, and Malnutrition and/or Dehydration. 
  
Frequently Asked Questions

24 Hour Neglect or Abuse Emergency Response Hotline

Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm   (707) 253 - 4398

Nights and weekends                       (888) 619 - 6913

Please call if you suspect that an elder or dependent adult is being physically abused, neglected, or financial exploited.

Also contact us if you believe that an elder or dependent adult is self neglecting due to diminished mental capacity or physical limitations.

You do not have to give us your name or other personal information for us to investigate the allegations, unless you are a mandated reporter.

Signs of Risk

•  Alcohol, drug abuse, mental illness in caregiver's residence
• Caregiver is alienated, socially isolated and has poor self image
• Caregiver is young, immature, and behavior indicates own dependency needs are not being met
• Caregiver is forced by circumstances to care for victim who is unwanted
• Caregiver is unemployed, without sufficient funds, dependent on victim for housing/money
• Caregiver has unrealistic expectations of victim
• Prolonged interval between trauma/illness and presentation for medical care
• Victim is brought in to emergency room by someone other than caregiver (police, neighbors)
• Caregiver/adult child has difficulty with role reversal
• Caregiver or victim exhibits abnormal behavior, e.g. overtly hostile or frustrated, secretive, shows little concern, demonstrates poor self control, victim "blames" victim, exhibits exaggerated defensiveness and denial, lacks physical facial or eve contact, shows overconcern regarding correcting bad behavior
• Caregiver or victim has alcohol on breath or victim appears overly medicated
• Victim is withdrawing from family, friends, and social support
• Victim seems to be putting affairs in order and closing down personal, social, and professional relationships (If this follows a crisis or period of depression it may be an indicator of suicide)
• There has been a sudden or dramatic change in victim's behavior and/or mental and/or physical health
• Victim has repeated injuries or illnesses
• Victim's explanations for behavior/injuries/illnesses are inconsistent with observed behaviors/injuries/illnesses, or victim changes explanations

Mandated Reporter Guidelines

A mandated reporter is any person who has assumed full or intermittent responsibility for care or custody of an elder or dependent adult, whether or not the person receives compensation, including administrators, supervisors, and any licensed staff of a public or private facility that provides care or services for elder or dependent adults, or any elder or dependent adult care custodian, health practitioner, employee of a financial institution or employee of a county adult protective services agency or local law enforcement agency. 

Failure to report physical abuse, abandonment, isolation, financial abuse, or neglect of an elder or dependent adult, is a misdemeanor. If the abuse results in death or great bodily injury, and the mandated reporter willfully fails to report then it is punishable by not more than one year in a county jail or by fine or both.

Click here for a complete list of mandated reporters, on the Report of Suspected Dependent/Elder Adult Abuse (SOC 341).