Adult Protective Services
On July 1, 2013, State of Illinois, Governor Pat Quinn signed into effect the Adult Protective Services Act. House Bill 948 includes some of the nation’s strongest safeguards to protect older adults and those with disabilities and will ensure that every case of suspected abuse, neglect and financial exploitation is thoroughly investigated and promptly referred to law enforcement.
With the signing of this important bill, the responsibility for investigating abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation of persons with disabilities, age 18 to 59 as well as persons age 60 and above, is the responsibility of the former Elder Abuse Provider Agencies under the direction of the Illinois Dept. on Aging. Former Elder Abuse Provider Agencies are now under the newly created Adult Protective Services unit of the Illinois Dept. on Aging.
Many persons with disabilities and older adults who live at home are at risk of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation by family members and others close to them.
The abused are often too afraid, too ashamed, too depressed, too confused, or too weak to speak up for themselves. Their lives may depend on others speaking up for them. In many cases, the only person outside the family who sees the victim is a healthcare professional, home care provider, financial institution, or other helping professional. Therefore it is critical that individuals know how to report cases of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation or investigation and services.
Senior Services Associates investigates allegations of physical and emotional abuse, financial exploitation, confinement, sexual abuse, passive neglect, and willful deprivation. As the Adult Protective Services Provider Agency of the Northeastern Illinois Area Agency on Aging and the State of Illinois Adult Protective Services Unit, our certified case manager investigators are here to represent and protect seniors and persons with disabilities while working with local authorities to eliminate the abusive situation and sustain quality of life.
If you suspect or witness that anyone – you, a relative, a friend, a neighbor or a coworker – is being abused, exploited or neglected we urge you to call:
911 immediately if the person is in imminent danger
Aurora / Kane County: (630) 897-4035
Elgin / Kane County: (847) 741-0404
Yorkville / Kendall County: (630) 553-5777
Crystal Lake / McHenry County: (815) 356-7457
McHenry / McHenry County: (815) 344-3555
Statewide, 24-hour Abuse Hotline Toll-free 24/7: (866) 800-1409 or (888) 206-1327 (TTY)
What is Considered Abuse?
The Adult Protective Services Program responds to the following types of abuse:
- Physical abuse
- Causing the infliction of physical pain or injury to an eligible adult.
- Sexual abuse
- Touching, fondling, sexual threats, sexually inappropriate remarks, or any other sexual activity with an eligible adult when he or she is unable to understand, unwilling to consent, threatened or physically forced to engage in sexual behavior.
- Emotional abuse
- Verbal assaults, threats of maltreatment, harassment or intimidation intended to compel the eligible adult to engage in conduct from which he or she wishes and has a right to abstain, or to refrain from conduct in which the eligible adult wishes and has the right to engage.
- Confinement
- Restraining or isolating, without authority, an eligible adult for other than medical reasons, as ordered by a physician.
- Passive Neglect
- Another individual’s failure to provide an eligible adult with the necessities of life including, but not limited to, food, clothing, shelter or medical care because of failure to understand the eligible adult’s needs, lack of awareness of services to help meet needs, or a lack of capacity to care for the eligible adult.
- Willful Deprivation
- Deliberate denial of medications, medical care, shelter, food, therapeutic devices, or other physical assistance to a person, who because of age, health, or disability, requires such assistance and there by exposes that person to the risk of physical, mental, or emotional harm because of such denial: except with respect to medical care or treatment when the dependent person has expressed an intent to forego such medical care of treatment and has the capacity to understand the consequences.
- Financial Exploitation
- The use of an eligible adult’s resources by another to the disadvantage of that adult or the profit or advantage of a person other than the adult.
- Self Neglect
- A condition that is the result of an eligible adult’s inability, due to physical or mental impairments, or both, or a diminished capacity, to perform essential self-care tasks that substantially threaten his or her own health, including: providing essential food, clothing, shelter, and health care; or obtaining goods and services necessary to maintain physical health, mental health, emotional well-being and general safety.
Reporting Abuse
To report suspected abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of an eligible adult, call the statewide 24-hour Abuse Hotline at (866) 800-1409 or (888) 206-1327. Callers should be prepared to report the alleged victim’s name and address, what is occurring that makes the caller suspect abuse, where and when the incident occurred and who the suspected abuser might be. While reporting is voluntary for most individuals, certain professionals are mandated to report their concerns regarding abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of eligible adults.
The Adult Protective Services Act (Chapter 320 ILCS 20/1 et seq.) provides that people, who in good faith report suspected abuse or cooperate with an investigation, shall be immune from criminal or civil liability or professional disciplinary action. It further provides that the identity of the reporter shall not be disclosed except with the written permission of the reporter or by order of the court. Anonymous reports are accepted.
Who Are Mandated Reporters of Abuse?
The following persons, while engaged in carrying out their professional duties are mandated reporters:
A professional or professional’s delegate while engaged in social services, law enforcement., education, the care of an eligible adult or eligible adults, or any of the occupations required to be licensed under the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act, the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act, the Illinois Dental Practice Act, the Dietetic and Nutrition Services Practice Act, the Marriage and Family Therapy Licensing Act, the Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Naprapathic Practice Act, the Illinois Nursing Act of 1987, the Nursing Home Administrators Licensing and Disciplinary Act, the Illinois Occupational Therapy Practice Act, the Optometric Practice Act of 1987, the Pharmacy Practice Act, the Physician Assistant Practice Act of 198777, the Podiatric Medical Practice Act of 1987, the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing Act, the Illinois Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Practice Act, the Veterinary Medicine and Surgery Practice Act of 1994, the Illinois Public Accounting Act, an employee of a vocational rehabilitation facility prescribed to supervised by the Dept. of Human Services, an administrator, employee, or person providing services in or through an unlicensed community based facility, a Christian Science Practitioner, field personnel of the Dept. of Public Aid, Dept. of Public Health, Dept. of Human Services, and any county or municipal health department, personnel of the Dept. of Human Services, the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, the State Fire Marshal, local fire departments, including paramedics and EMTs, the Dept. on Aging and its subsidiary Area Agencies on Aging and provider agencies, and the Office of State Long Term Care Ombudsman, any employee of the State of Illinois not otherwise specified herein who is involved in providing services to eligible adults, including professionals providing medical or rehabilitation services and all other persons having direct contact with eligible adults; or a person who performs the duties of a coroner or medical examiner.