Adult Protective Services (APS) is a state-mandated service provided by every county with the goal of keeping vulnerable adults (persons 18 years of age and older) safely residing in the community or in the least restrictive alternative. It involves intake, investigation, and assessment of referrals of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of qualifying vulnerable adults. APS workers develop services plans with eligible clients to remedy physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or to address unmet, essential needs of adults who:

• Have a mental or physical impairment; and
• Are at risk of harm, whether by their own or others’ actions, or have an unmet need; and
• Have no one able and willing to responsibly assist

Services Provided (directly or through referral) may range from:

• Safety monitoring
• Linkages with other service providers (health, mental health, aging, etc.)
• Assistance in obtaining benefits
• Informal money management
• Seeking appointment as a representative payee
• Petitioning a court for appointment as a guardian
• Other legal intervention
  
  

Adults have the right to self-determination (unless found to be medically incompetent by two physicians or legally incapacitated by a court) and have the right to live in the least restrictive safe environment.

For more information on, Adult Protective Services, click on the links below:

Investigations

Guardianships

Representative Payee