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Adult Protective Services
Adult Protective Services (APS) are those services provided to older people and people with disabilities who are in danger of being mistreated or neglected, are unable to protect themselves, and have no one to assist them.
In most states, APS caseworkers are the first responders to reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults.
A vulnerable adult is defined as a person who is being mistreated or is in danger of mistreatment and who, due to age and/or disability, is unable to protect him/herself.
In most cases Adult Protection programs serve vulnerable adults regardless of age. Some serve only older adults (based either on their age or incapacity). A few serve only adults ages 18-59 who have disabilities that keep them from protecting themselves.
Adult Protection interventions include, but are not limited to:
- Receiving reports of elder/vulnerable adult abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation
- Investigating these reports
- Assessing victim's risk
- Assessing victim's capacity to understand his/her risk and ability to give informed consent
- Developing case plan
- Arranging for services*
- Service monitoring
- Evaluation
*Adult Protection may provide or arrange for a wide selection of medical, social, economic, legal, housing, law enforcement, or other protective emergency or supportive services.
How the APS System Works
Reporting
- Someone suspects elder or vulnerable adult abuse, exploitation, or neglect.
- Person calls an abuse hotline or state or local APS office to report suspicion.
- If emergency, APS immediately forwards report to police or emergency medical staff.
- If the report does not meet the APS target population as defined by state law, the caller will be given information and/or referral to an appropriate agency.
- Report is assigned a priority response time based on the level of victim risk.
- Report is assigned to APS staff for investigation.
Investigation
- APS staff makes contact with victim within state-regulated timeframe, depending on the reported urgency of the situation.
- Caseworker assesses current victim risk factors.
- Caseworker assesses victim's capacity to understand current risk and to give informed consent for further investigation and service provision.
When maltreatment cannot be confirmed or victim refuses further services
- Victims who have the capacity to understand their circumstances have the right to refuse services, regardless of the level of risk.
- In some states, competent adults have the right to refuse an APS investigation.
- APS caseworker may refer victim to other resources.
- Case is closed.
When maltreatment is confirmed
- With the consent of the victim, APS caseworker develops service plan.
- Services may be provided directly by caseworkers, through arrangements with other community resources, or purchased by APS on a short-term, emergency basis.
- Victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation may receive short-term services such as emergency shelter, home repair, meals, transportation, help with financial management, home health services, and medical and mental health services.
- APS caseworker may continue to monitor service provision to assure that victim risk is reduced or eliminated.
- Victims who have the capacity to understand their circumstances have the right to refuse services, regardless of the degree of danger.
Source: National Association of Adult Protective Services Administrators
Adult Protective Services Laws
All fifty states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws authorizing the provision of adult protective services (APS) in cases of elder abuse.
State APS laws vary widely in:
- The age at or circumstances under which a victim is eligible to receive protective services; the definition of abuse
- Types of abuse, neglect and exploitation that are covered
- Classification of the abuse as criminal or civil
- Reporting (mandatory or voluntary)
- Investigation responsibility and procedures
- Remedies for abuse
Some state APS laws only apply to vulnerable citizens who are living alone or with family (what is called "domestic abuse"). Others also include individuals who live in long term care homes (known as "institutional abuse"). Each state defines long term care facility (LTCF) differently. Some states also include other types of institutions (such as mental health facilities) in their statutes.
Source: American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging
Find Help
Learn More about APS
Last Updated: May 17, 2003 
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