Adult Protective Services and Abuse Reporting

California APS

Each California County has an Adult Protective Services (APS) agency that helps older adults (60 years and older) and dependent adults (18-64) who are unable to meet their own needs or who are victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. APS programs in California must respond to reports of abuse and neglect of elder and dependent adults 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (WIC 15600 et seq). Statewide, approximately 750 social workers provide case management services to 143,770 clients.

Reports

Adult Protective Services Reporting Laws (2022) Chart produced by the American Bar Association (ABA) detailing states' abuse reporting laws

California Adult Social Services Workforce Report (2021)

Assessment of Administrative Data on Elder Abuse, Mistreatment, and Neglect – Final Technical Report (2021)

Adult Protective Services Training: A Brief Report on the State of the Nation (2020)

Reporting Abuse

To report abuse, call 1-833-401-0832, and when prompted enter your 5-digit zip code to be connected to the Adult Protective Services in your county, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

Resources

Organizations/Resource Centers

Technical Assistance Tools
California

APS Program Operational Plan for Caifornia. Description submitted by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) describing how the state is using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for APS in the state and its stategic plan through 2025.
California Undue Influence Screening Tool (CUIST)
APS-TRIO (Tool for Risk, Interventions, and Outcomes). Risk assessment tool designed by and for social workers in Ventura County.
Adult Protective Services Workforce Innovations (APSWI). This training program of the Academy for Professional Excellence, a project of the San Diego State University School of Social Work produces a variety of materials for APS, including:

National

National Process Evaluation of the Adult Protective Services System (2023): Evaluation by the APS Technical Assistance Resource Center to describe the current landscape of APS programs’ structures and operations across the United States. The report is available in two versions:
- Full report with all data and analysis
- Summary report with summary data and analysis

Elder Justice Act Mandatory Grants. ACL listing of how all states are using COVID relief funds and their strategic plans through 2025.
Adult Protective Services (APS) and COVID-19 (fact sheet). Office of Elder Justice & Adult Protective Services, Administration for Community Living
Supporting Adult Protective Services. Office of Elder Justice & Adult Protective Services, Administration for Community Living
National Guidelines for Financial Institutions: Working Together to Protect Older Persons from Financial Abuse (NAPSA)
Resources on Evidence-Based and Evidence-Informed Practice in APS (NAPSA)
Opening the Door (OTD) Training Eight-hour training to enhance APS workers' engagement skills (Halarewicz et al., 2019)

Promising Practices
Adult Protective Services Workforce Innovations (APSWI)
This training program of the Academy for Professional Excellence of the San Diego State University School of Social Work provides innovative workforce development to APS professionals and their partners.

Bay Area Social Services Consortium (BASSC)
This agency-university-foundation partnership promotes social service research, training, and policy development to strengthen public sector social services in the San Francisco Bay Area.

APS social workers have an obligation to meet with endangered adults and understand their circumstances from their perspectives. Unless they are incapacitated to the extent that they cannot accept or refuse protective services, they have a civil right to self-determination, which we honor. High caseloads and insufficient resources add to the challenges of helping clients leave harmful situations.

Akiles Ceron, San Francisco APS Program Director