Adult Protective Services Program

Who should report abuse?

Everyone is encouraged to report abuse or neglect to Adult Protective Services. The identity of reporting parties is protected and kept confidential but "mandated reporters" must identify themselves when reporting.

State law requires that any individual who is an elder or dependent adult care custodian is mandated and must report any suspected abuse. A care custodian is a person providing any level or type of care or services to the elderly and dependent adults.

• Elderly are persons 60 years and older.
• Dependent Adults are persons between the ages of 18 and 64 who have physical or mental limitations that restrict their ability to carry out normal activities of daily living or to protect their rights.

Mandated Reporter Forms and E-Learning

A mandated reporter may be asked to complete the Report of Suspected Dependent Adult/Elder Abuse. Officers and Employees of Financial Institutions are mandated to report suspected financial abuse by completing a Report of Suspected Dependent Elder Financial Abuse.

• SOC 341 Report of Suspected Dependent Adult/Elder Abuse (PDF, 174 KB)
• SOC 342 Report of Suspected Adult/Elder Financial Abuse (PDF, 100 KB)

The Academy for Professional Excellence provides an e-learning on Mandated Reporting: Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse and Neglect in California:

• APS Mandated Reporter E-Learning

Mandated Reporting Party Definitions

A Care custodian is an administrator or an employee of any of the following public or private facilities or agencies of persons providing care or services for elders or dependent adults, including members of the support staff and maintenance staff:

• Twenty-four-hour health facilities
• Clinics
• Home health agencies
• Agencies providing publicly funded in-home supportive services, nutrition services, or other home and community-based support services
• Adult day health care centers and adult day care
• Secondary schools that serve 18 to 22- year-old dependent adults and postsecondary educational institutions that serve dependent adults or elders
• Independent living centers
• Camps
• Alzheimer’s Disease Day Care Resource Centers
• Community care facilities and residential care facilities for the elderly
• Respite care facilities
• Foster homes
• Vocational rehabilitation facilities and work activity centers
• Designated area agencies on aging
• Regional centers for persons with developmental disabilities
• State Dept. of Social Services and State Dept. of Health Services licensing divisions
• County welfare departments
• Offices of patients’ rights advocates and clients’ rights advocates, including attorneys
• Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman
• Offices of public conservators, public guardians, and court investigators
• Any protection or advocacy agency
• Fire departments
• Offices of environmental health and building code enforcement
• Any other protective, public, sectarian, mental health or private assistance or advocacy agency or person providing health services or social services to elders or dependent adults

What is a Health Practitioner?

• A physician, surgeon, psychiatrist, psychologist, dentist, resident, intern, podiatrist, chiropractor, licensed nurse, dental hygienist, licensed clinical social worker or associate clinical social worker, marriage, family and child counselor, or any other person who is currently licensed under Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code
• Any emergency medical technician I or II, paramedic or person certified pursuant to Division 2.5 of the Health and Safety Code
• A registered psychological assistant
• An unlicensed marriage, family and child counselor intern
• State or county public health or social service employee who treats an elder or a dependent adult for any condition
• A coroner