• 18 years of age or older
• Unable to take care of yourself
• Being taken advantage of or if someone makes you feel afraid

More questions and answers about Adult Protective Services

Contact someone who can answer your questions about Adult Protective Services

FAQs

When and how does Adult Protective Services (APS) get involved?

• When someone suspects abuse/neglect/financial exploitation or self-neglect and calls in concern, APS will conduct an investigation to determine if help is needed and what needs to be done.
• You can contact Adult Protective Services at your local DHHS office.

Who does APS serve?

• Adults 18 and over
• Adults who have serious disabilities or medical conditions that make it hard for them to care for themselves
• Adults who are being harmed or taken advantage of by someone else, or who can’t meet their own needs

How can APS help?

     APS can:

• Check out reports of abuse or neglect
• Offer help and protection
• Set up services such as:
  • Medical
  • Mental health
  • Legal
  • Money management
  • Housing
  • Home health
• Arrange for needed items like
  • Food
  • Clothing
  • Shelter
  • Utilities
  • Supervision
• Arrange services for caregivers and family members such as:
  • Respite Services
  • Developmental Disability Service
  • Behavioral Health
  • Aging Services
  • Eldercare Locator

What are indicators of abuse?

• Physical Abuse:
  • Old and new injuries together
  • Injury that is not cared for properly
  • Injury that doesn’t make sense with the story given for its cause
  • Person shows signs of not enough food or water for no good cause

• Financial exploitation:
  • Withholding money from victim
  • Cashing checks without permission/authority
  • Misusing Power Of Attorney/Durable Power Of Attorney
  • Charging unusual items on credit cards
  • ATM withdrawals inconsistent with the victim's use/ability
  • Unpaid bills with adequate income
  • Bank accounts overdrawn with adequate income

• Neglect or Self-Neglect:
  • Living Environment:
    • Unsanitary--shelter or person
    • Lack of food, clothing, medicine, or inedible food
    • Human or animal feces on floors/furniture
    • Rotting floors, ceilings
    • Housing does not protect from weather
    • Unmet medical need
  • Victim Conditions:
    • Unable to perform activities of daily living
    • Untreated medical conditions, injuries
    • Untrimmed nails
    • Unwashed hair
    • Lack of needed prosthetic devices

What do I do if I think an adult is being abused?

• Call any local DHHS Office
• Call the 24-hour toll-free hotline at 1-800-652-1999
• Call law enforcement

What kind of information does APS need?

• As much detailed information as you have about what is happening: the victim, who is hurting or harming them, where it happened, etc.

Will my information be kept confidential?

• An APS worker investigating the abuse is not allowed to tell a victim or perpetrator who made the report.

Who are mandated reporters (who does the state law say MUST report suspected abuse)?

• Anyone who works in the medical, behavioral health, developmental disability, or law enforcement fields
• Any human services professional or paraprofessional
• Any employee of any facility licensed/certified by the Department

I have made a report. What can I expect?

• To be told by letter or phone whether or not the report will be investigated, if you gave your name and address when you made your report
• That reports of abuse or neglect in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other facilities that are licensed or certified may be referred to DHHS Licensing & Regulatory Affairs for investigation

What can APS do?

• Investigate reports of abuse or self-neglect
• Provide information to the county attorney
• Offer services to the vulnerable adult
• Arrange services for the vulnerable adult
• Assist law enforcement in investigation
• Intervene legally when necessary and appropriate
• Obtain court orders for involuntary services

What can’t APS do?

• Become guardian of the person or conservator of the estate
• Remove someone from their home without a court order
• Force someone with capacity to accept services
• Be a guardianship program for communities
• Place an individual in an alternate living arrangement without their agreement or a legal representative’s agreement
• Become involved if there is no abuse/neglect or financial exploitation

Where can I read the APS law and regulations?

• Nebraska Reissue Revised Statutes 28-348 to 28-387 and Title 473 – Social Services for Aged and Disabled Adults - Click on Chapter 7.