ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES
Adult Protective Services will be offered to any adult 60 years of age or older to:
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Prevent, reduce or remedy conditions causing endangerment to the client through the provision of necessary and appropriate services.
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Maximize the client’s independence and self-direction; and
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Prevent unnecessary institutionalization and enable clients to remain in their homes and communities as long as possible.
Adult Protective Services is guided by the concepts of achieving and ensuring a client’s freedom, safety, least disruption of lifestyle and the least restrictive care alternative. To ensure the client’s right to self determination, the APS caseworker is guided by three distinct but related principals. They are:
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Freedom Over Safety - Clients have the right to choose to live at risk of harm, providing they are capable of making that choice, harm no one in doing so and commit no crime. This means that when interests compete, freedom is more important than safety and clients have the right to refuse services;
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Self-Determination - Clients have the right to personal choices and decisions, until such time as they delegate or the courts grant, the responsibility to someone else.
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Participation In Decision-Making - Clients have the right to receive information to make informed decisions and, to the extent that they are able to do so, to participate in all decision-making which affects their circumstances.
This does not mean a criminal act goes uninvestigated. Any possible criminal activity will be referred to the sheriff’s office to take the lead in the investigation. The right to self-determination does not relieve the agency of the obligation to complete a cross-report on any reported incident of abuse/exploitation.
Adult Protective Services are provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week for immediate response to emergency reports. To report adult abuse, neglect or exploitation please call the agency during business hours or the sheriff’s office after hours.