This government agency helps vulnerable adults facing abuse and neglect
- By Shelley Flannery and Amanda Kippert
- Sep 14, 2026
Key Takeaways:
- Adult Protective Services (APS) helps protect vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect and exploitation. The agency investigates reports and connects adults with services and support.
- APS can investigate, but it can’t force a competent adult to accept help. Adults generally have the right to refuse services or decide where they live.
- APS and police serve different roles. Police respond to immediate, life-threatening danger, while APS can help address abuse, neglect or exploitation when there isn’t an immediate emergency.
Most people are familiar with state Child Protective Services, the agency that investigates claims of child abuse, neglect and exploitation. Less familiar is its adult counterpart: Adult Protective Services. APS investigates reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation involving vulnerable adults. For some people experiencing domestic abuse, it can be an important option for intervention.
What are Adult Protective Services (APS)?
Formed in 1989, the National Adult Protective Services Association is a nonprofit organization that supports APS offices in all 50 states. Through state-run APS agencies, individuals can report suspected or known abuse of vulnerable adults, such as the elderly or those with a disability. The organization then coordinates with either police or community-based organizations to help provide the best services for that individual to ensure their safety. You can find your state APS agency here.
Who Qualifies for APS?
State definitions vary on who exactly qualifies for APS services. There is no uniform definition or code for all APS regulations across the country. But for the most part, APS serves:
- Seniors aged 60 or older with or without a disability
- Adults aged 18 or older with a disability
APS agencies typically respond to reports of individuals living in their own home. The authority to respond to reports of abuse within a state-run facility varies by state—this may fall under law enforcement duties only.
What Does APS Investigate?
“APS primarily investigates cases of neglect, violence, family violence, intimate partner violence and abuse by other children,” says Zach Gassoumis, PhD, assistant professor of public health at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. However, he says the agency typically handles the “less urgent but still very important situations that law enforcement might not respond to,” such as neglect, or when vulnerable adults can’t meet their basic needs.
In 2016, the federal Health and Human Services Administration created the National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS) in order to help compile statistics that would help better understand the numbers behind abuse against vulnerable adults. APS agencies throughout the U.S. voluntarily submit data to the NAMRS. The latest Adult Maltreatment Report reflects data collected in 2023–there is about a two-year lag in releasing NAMRS data and, as of publication, the 2024 report is still pending.
In 2023, APS investigated the following allegations
- 51.5 percent: self-neglect (usually a professional or loved one notices a vulnerable adult is not caring for themselves adequately, such as not eating properly, hoarding, not taking medication, not washing or not paying necessary bills, such as utilities)
- 26.8 percent: neglect
- 23.7 percent: exploitation (this involves using a vulnerable adult’s assets for the caregiver’s advantage. It can include coercing the victim to sign over benefit checks or property, scamming the victim into paying the caregiver fraudulently, forging the victim’s signature or stealing their property)
- 11.8 percent: physical abuse
- 1.4 percent: sexual abuse
Of those reports, the majority, or just over 57 percent, were submitted to APS by professionals, while relatives reported 13.6 percent of the cases.
“Anyone can make a report,” says Gassoumis, adding that the reports can be anonymous. Mandated reporters—or those required to report to APS when they witness or have a reasonable suspicion of adult abuse—exist in every state except New York. These often include medical personnel and law enforcement. In at least 15 states, everyone is considered a mandated reporter, a fact most people probably aren’t aware of, says Gassoumis.
What APS Can and Cannot Do
Once APS receives a report of a suspected case of abuse, they can do the following:
- Schedule an investigation. Unfortunately, much like CPS, the caseload at APS agencies nationwide often far exceeds the staffing capabilities, says Gassoumis. An investigation may not happen immediately. If the situation is urgent or life-threatening, the concerned party may want to contact law enforcement or, if applicable, a domestic violence organization near them.
- Evaluate the vulnerable adult’s risk. Are they being neglected? Are they mentally impaired? Are they being exploited? This is what an APS evaluator will set out to discover.
- Counsel the adult and refer them to local services. APS may refer the adult to a local social service agency to help connect them with basic needs, better housing, medical assistance, counseling, emergency shelter or legal help. They may also encourage them to call the police if the situation is dire. If there are life-threatening circumstances, APS may report this to the police regardless.
What APS cannot do:
- Remove a vulnerable adult from their home. Unlike CPS, which can intervene more directly and remove a child from a dangerous situation without that child’s permission, an adult must make the choice to leave, explains Gassoumis. “APS is a voluntary service and, by and large, the clients are presumed to have decision-making capacity and authority over their own lives.”
Sometimes it’s not the case due to dementia or disabilities. This is where an APS evaluator may have to get law enforcement or the court system involved and request a temporary conservatorship for that individual, a more complicated process that, again, isn’t immediate.
- Force an adult to partake in services. If the adult doesn’t want help, the adult has the right to refuse services, either from APS or from other social services organizations.
- Act on the legal behalf of the individual. They cannot act as guardian for the adult, or make personal or medical decisions for them.
- Arrest or investigate crimes. They can report evidence of crimes to police, but they are not law enforcement.
How To Report Elder Abuse
Making a report is as simple as contacting the APS office in the state where the vulnerable adult is being abused. Most states offer online reporting, or you can call to make a report. In either case, you’ll be asked to:
- Detail the reason you suspect abuse
- The vulnerable adult’s name or identifying characteristics
- The location of where the abuse is taking place
- Your information as the reporting party (although you can stay anonymous if desired)
“The more details you can provide, the better,” says Lisa Sarno, Arizona’s Adult Protective Services program administrator. “But the minimum threshold for the information we need in order to take a report is really just the name or description of the victim, a general location of where the abuse is taking place, a vulnerability indicator and a description of the maltreatment.”
Vulnerability indicators are any reasons you have to believe someone qualifies as a vulnerable adult. That could be anything from knowing about a diagnosis of mental or physical impairment or simply observing that he or she uses a walker to get around.
What Happens After a Report
The next steps after a report is filed vary by state. In general, APS will determine if the report meets the state’s criteria to open an investigation (i.e. the suspected abuse takes place in the office’s jurisdiction, the victim qualifies as a vulnerable adult and there is sufficient information to locate them). If an investigation is opened, it will be assigned to a case agent who will then contact the potential victim in person. Most states specify how quickly an agent must conduct an in-person visit, with some states requiring it take place within 24 hours and others between one and five days.
Once contact with the vulnerable adult is made, the APS agent will conduct interviews with the victim, alleged abuser and other involved parties; consider evidence; and determine if the person is being abused, neglected or exploited. Depending on the situation, the vulnerable adult will then be connected with services to address his or her needs, whether that’s contacting a domestic violence shelter to assist with housing, getting the person medical care, connecting him or her with legal services, etc.
APS vs Police: What’s the Difference?
While police enforce laws, APS is specifically focused on protecting vulnerable adults—their workers do not investigate crimes or arrest lawbreakers. There are overlaps between law enforcement and APS in that both work with community social services to refer victims to local organizations that can help provide additional support.
When a vulnerable adult is in life-threatening danger, law enforcement should be the first call. When a vulnerable or elder adult is experiencing abuse, neglect or exploitation, but there is not an immediate emergency, APS may be able to step in and help with more comprehensive services. If you’re worried about a vulnerable adult, you don’t have to be certain that abuse or neglect is occurring before reaching out to APS.
What Happens if Someone Refuses Help?
APS cannot force an adult to get help. If the adult is able to make sound decisions, they have the right to say no to help. This can be difficult to watch, especially if you feel like they are being abused or exploited, or are not taking care of themselves properly. The best thing to do is to continue to support them and let them know you’re there for them when and if they’re ready for help. You may want to read, “When They’re Not Ready for Help” to learn more.
However, if the person is unable to make decisions for themselves—they are living with dementia or have a mental disability—a concerned loved one may want to consider filing for a guardianship or conservatorship. These legal options, appointed by a court, typically require a note from the individual’s physician that says the individual is incapable of making sound decisions regarding healthcare or financial matters due to their health. You can learn more about both on AARP.org.
More of Your Questions, AnsweredWho qualifies as a vulnerable adult?
Who APS serves can vary state to state but for the most part, a vulnerable adult includes seniors aged 60 and over and adults aged 18 and older with a disability.
What does APS investigate?
The agency investigates claims of neglect, abuse—all types, not just physical abuse—and exploitation. Many of the cases surround adults who can’t meet their basic needs.
Can APS help with emotional abuse?
Yes, APS can intervene in cases of emotional abuse when the victim allows them to do so. This may include either referring victims of emotional abuse to local services that can assist them further—such as a domestic violence organization, a medical professional, legal help or law enforcement.
How long does an APS investigation take?
The timeline for an APS investigation can vary depending on that agency’s caseload and number of staff. Much like child protective services, APS offices notoriously have far more cases than they do staff who can handle them and a limited budget on top of that.
What happens after an APS report?
APS will determine if the report meets the state’s criteria to open an investigation, aka, the suspected abuse takes place in their jurisdiction and the potential victim qualifies as a vulnerable adult. As long as it does, an agent will contact the potential victim in person and conduct interviews with them, the alleged abuser and any other involved parties. Competent adults have a right to deny help from APS, however. From there, the vulnerable adult will be connected with local services to help them further. Depending on the type of abuse, law enforcement may be contacted.
Can APS remove someone from home?
No, they cannot remove someone from their home but they can refer the vulnerable adult to housing services.
Does APS call the police?
Sometimes. If an APS agent believes the vulnerable adult is not able to comprehend the danger they may be in, or if the adult is in a serious, life-threatening situation, APS will contact law enforcement to assist their investigation.
Can APS force services?
No, APS cannot force services on a competent adult. However, APS agents are mandatory reporters. If they see a serious crime occurring, they will have to report it to police. If they feel that the adult is unable to comprehend the danger they may be in, they may encourage a loved one to file for guardianship or conservatorship to make healthcare and financial decisions for the adult.
Content retrieved from: https://www.domesticshelters.org/articles/elder-abuse/what-does-adult-protective-services-do.