Adult Protective Services (APS):

Adult Protective Services (APS) investigates reported incidents of elder and dependent adult abuse.  Any person in California aged 65 or older and is suspected of being abused or neglected; or a person aged 18 to 64 with a mental or physical disability that makes them vulnerable or at risk, is eligible for APS without regard to income.

Adult Protective Services (APS) responds to reports of abuse from social services and health providers, law enforcement representatives, clergy, bank personnel and other mandated reporters, as well as individuals or concerned friends and neighbors.  Reports of abuse are CONFIDENTIAL and based on the reasonable suspicion of the reporting party that abuse or neglect is occurring.

 

This Is What Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Looks Like:

Physical Abuse:

• Inadequately explained bruises, fractures, welts, cuts, sores and burns;
• Pressure sores or bed sores (decubitis ulcers);
• Medications used to restrain victims or in unexplained excess;
• Sexual abuse, including sexual battery, rape, spousal rape, incest, sodomy, oral copulation, and other forms of unwanted sexual contact.

 

Neglect (by self or others):

• Lack of a reasonable quantity of food or water, or the ability to safely store food;
• Home is dangerously cluttered, filthy, in a state or disrepair, or having other health, fire and safety hazards;
• Home lacks minimum equipment and facilities such as a working stove, refrigerator, heat and cooling appliance, working plumbing and safe electricity;
• Lack of medical aids (glasses, walker, wheel chair, hearing aid, dentures, medications);
• Lack of basic body or personal hygiene;
• Lack of clean appropriate clothing or linens;
• Demented victim left alone and unsupervised;
• Bed-bound victims left without proper care;
• Excessive number of animals, feces, vermin or pests.

 

Financial Abuse:

• Lack of amenities that victim could otherwise afford;
• Caregiver or person in trust is found to be using victim's financial resources for their own needs;
• Caregiver or person in trust has control of victim's money but is failing to provide for victim's needs;
• Victim "voluntarily" giving inappropriate financial reimbursement for needed personal care and companionship;
• Victim has signed property transfers, Power of Attorney, quit claim deeds, created new will, etc. when they are really unable to comprehend the transaction.

 

Isolation/Mental Suffering:

• Caregiver isolates victim by restricting or preventing visits, mail, phone calls and other contact with the victim's network of friends and family, vendors, clergy, etc.;
• False imprisonment and/or physical restraint;
• Caregiver refuses to allow others into the home or speak directly to victim;
• Caregiver is controlling, uncaring, threatening, aggressive, violent, or addicted.
• Fear, agitation, confusion, severe depression, or other forms of serious emotional distress brought about by intimidating behavior, threats, harassment, deceptive acts, or false or misleading statements made with malicious intent to agitate, confuse, frighten, or cause severe depression or serious emotional distress of the elder or dependent adult;

 

Abandonment/Abduction:

• Abandonment is the desertion or willful forsaking of an elder or dependent adult by anyone having care or custody of that person under circumstances in which a reasonable person would continue to provide care and custody.
• Abduction is removing from this state any elder or dependent adult without the capacity to consent to that removal.  This applies to any elder or dependent adult who is restrained from returning to this state, and applies to conservatees who are removed without the consent of the court. 

 

Undue Influence:

• Undue Influence is a form of manipulation or deception used to gain assets without the true consent of the victim.  It is the result of a relationship with the victim that has been carefully constructed by the perpetrator, as well as the victim's unique susceptibility to manipulation.
• Anyone can be subject to undue influence under the right circumstances; examples include those who have been hostages, kidnap victims, cult victims, prisoners of war, etc. 
• When an elder abuse victim lacks the ability to resist undue influence and is unable to provide knowledgeable consent (such as those with dementia), a conservatorship may be appropriate.  Information on conservatorship is available at the Yuba County Public Guardian.

 

Yuba County APS Professional Staff:

 

• Are specially trained in the California statutes, state regulations and Yuba County HHSD policy in the response, investigation and on-going case management as determined by the needs of abused and neglected victims.  
• Coordinate an immediate response to emergent and urgent situations that effect a crisis or threat in the victim's situation. 
• Provide services to abuse victims to ensure their safety and well-being, and to eliminate or mitigate risk.
• Provide tangible support services, as appropriate, for victims of abuse and/or neglect such as food, temporary shelter, personal hygiene items and temporary maintenance of utility services.
• Provide culturally competent staff with bilingual services in Spanish and Hmong.  Translation services for other languages can be arranged as needed.
• Make referrals and linkages to other support services, community agencies and programs that may help the victim remain safely in their own homes and maintain a safe environment. 
• Collaborate closely with the Yuba County Sheriff, Marysville Police Department, Public Guardian/Conservator, District Attorney, County Counsel and local services agencies and providers.

 

Reporting Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse:

Persons interested in obtaining more information or who wish to report elder or dependent adult abuse should call 24 hours a day: (530) 749-6471, or toll free at (866) 999-9113.