User:Leasha Hinsley/sandbox

North Carolina Mandated Reporting of Elder Abuse

Mandatory Reporting (ref 1) North Carolina mandatory reporting is a law that requires certain North Carolina professionals to report suspected abuse and neglect of the elderly. Adult Protective Services define the elderly as anyone 65 or older. Typically, the people required to report elder abuse include medical professionals, health care providers, mental health counselors, service providers, and all government agents who come in contact with the elderly. Most states have mandates of this kind as mandatory reporting is one of the oldest legislative methods used to help elderly victims.

Most states have penalties for those who fail to report suspected abuse of the elderly. Those who do report are typically offered immunity from civil suits or prosecution if they report in "good faith"--even if the reports cannot be further substantiated.

However, despite these laws, elder abuse is still suspected to be underreported.

Elder Abuse (ref 1) Link to wiki page defining elder abuse (?)

Elder abuse refers to crimes against the elderly committed by a person or persons caring for the elderly adult. Elder abuse can be domestic or institutional. Elder abuse includes physical abuse (including sexual assault), psychological or emotional abuse, financial exploitation, and neglect or abandoment.

How to Report (ref 2)

Each of the 100 counties of North Carolina has a local Department of Social Services (DSS). Individuals should contact their local DSS to report suspected elder abuse.

The following list includes ways that people can report suspected elder abuse:

hotlines

ombudsman

state agencies

citizen adovocacy groups

Responding to Reports(ref 2)

Adult Protective Services (APS) is the public agency that investigates reports of elder abuse and protects the victims. APS can be contacted through local DSS in each county of North Carolina. Once suspected elder abuse has been reported, DSS receives the report and determines the need for APS. If a need for APS is determined, planning and counseling with the elderly adult begins. APS determines which caregiver to notify, and they begin working on strategies to remedy the situation and prevent occurrences of abuse in the future. APS then notifies the District Attorney of the elder abuse, and if necessary, court action is initialized. Finally, APS begins mobilizing necessary services on behalf of the elderly victim. All elderly persons beieved to be victims of abuse are eligible for these services provided by DSS/APS without regard to their income.