The Delaware Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities launches a potentially lifesaving hotline.
The Adult Protective Services hotline arrives at a time that can be tough for many.
Division Director Melissa Smith says the holidays are an important reminder to check on the well-being of aging and vulnerable adults. In this case, vulnerability can apply to conditions like isolation, sickness, debilitation, mental illness, or physical, mental or cognitive disability.
“Physical abuse is the highest and most urgent, so it will be assigned immediately to an adult protective services worker who will then immediately look to make an unannounced visit to begin the investigation," Smith said. "And the investigation is to substantiate a claim, we aren't a law enforcement body or someone who can issue warrants.”
APS does provide information obtained from abuse reports to partner state agencies and law enforcement.
The hotline is confidential, whether a person reports harm to someone else, or themselves, and Division Director Melissa Smith says APS may only intervene with services and resources if accepted by the victim.
“We were hoping that this re-release would help educate Delawareans who may not know ‘I should probably report this,’ and to be thinking about it, but there's also a number of mandatory reporters. And so we're also hoping this is a good reminder that those parties that fall in mandatory reporters will have an easy way to make that report if they see something.”
Those mandatory reporters include caretakers and medical practitioners, as well as employees of financial institutions who have direct contact with a vulnerable adult and suspect financial exploitation.
Harm can be described as physical, sexual or emotional abuse, neglect, exploitation, abandonment, and other types of mistreatment.
APS recently began an awareness campaign across the state to reinforce awareness of resources available to Delawareans, including the new hotline.
The number to call is 888-APS-4302.