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1. What happens after I make a report?

After receiving the report, the Adult Protective Services (APS) intake worker will review the report with the supervisor to determine if the disabled adult is in need of a protective services evaluation. If so, the APS social worker will visit the adult. The timing of the visit will be determined based on the urgency of the situation. Some visits are immediate, but all visits are made within 72 hours of the report.

If the report is accepted for an evaluation, the investigation will include home visits by the APS social worker and consultation with others who have knowledge of the facts of the particular case. An interview with the disabled adult may be conducted with no other persons present. The Department of Social Services (DSS) works in collaboration with other agencies in the community such as the Health Department, Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center, Rowan Regional Medical Center, Sheriff’s Department, other law enforcement agencies, Hospice, home health agencies, and others to gather information during the investigation and to arrange for services if a need is found.

The investigation shall be completed within 30 days for allegations of abuse or neglect, and shall be completed within 45 days for allegations of exploitation. If the report does not meet the criteria to support an APS investigation, but if issues are identified that should be addressed, the report may be accepted for Preventive Outreach services.

2. What are Preventive Outreach Services?

Preventive Outreach Services include a home visit by the APS social worker to address needs of the person. The person may be offered referrals to other community organizations that may be able to assist him or her with services and assistance to meet needs. The goal of Preventive Outreach Services is to provide services so that the person will not become a victim of abuse, neglect, or exploitation in the future.

3. What action may I take if my report does not get the results I expected?

If you disagree with the Department of Social Services (DSS) actions regarding the report you made, you may contact, in this order, the following persons to request a higher level review of the report: 

• the Adult Protective Services (APS) Supervisor
• the APS Program Administrator
• the DSS Director

You may wish to make another report if you have additional information about the situation. There is no limit on the number of reports that can be made. However, further reports should have additional or new information that was not presented earlier. All reports that do not rise to the level of an investigation are always reviewed a second time at regularly scheduled APS Screening Committee meetings. Committee members reviewing these reports include the APS Supervisor, the APS Program Administrator, and the Adult Services Attorney. The purpose of these reviews is to assure that no report was improperly screened out.