Through its Structured Decision Making assessment tools, Evident Change supports caseworkers in identifying adults at the highest risk of future involvement with the adult protection system (APS) and targeting resources toward those adults who need them most.
Adult protective services agencies are responsible for investigating reports of maltreatment of older adults and adults with disabilities. Research suggests more than four million adults over age 60 have experienced:
- Emotional, physical, and/or sexual abuse;
- Financial exploitation;
- Neglect by a caregiver or family member; and/or
- Self-neglect.
As our population ages and more states mandate reporting by social workers and medical service providers, the number of adult maltreatment cases will continue to grow.
In addition, several studies cite high rates of abuse among adults with disabilities. In one, 30% of adults with disabilities who received some sort of personal assistance with daily living reported one or more types of maltreatment by the individual providing the help.
You can read more about Evident Change’s work in structuring decisions for APS here and here.