Adult Protective Services
TO REPORT ABUSE CALL 217-443-2999 (MONDAY – FRIDAY, 8:00AM – 4:00PM), OR 1-866-800-1409 (24 HOURS DAY/7 DAYS A WEEK)
Overview
CRIS Healthy-Aging Center provides protective services for adults 60 and over, and adults with disabilities age 18 and over. Abuses of the nature defined by the Adult Protective Services program are a type of domestic violence that have a strong and lasting impact on adults with disabilities and older adults of our community. This type of abuse affects a victim’s overall health and well-being and can affect health concerns such as blood pressure, heart problems, and other medical problems.
Types of Abuses
The CRIS Adult Protective Services (APS) program serves disabled adults and senior citizens in Vermilion County who are alleged victims of seven particular types of abuse. These abuses are: Physical, Emotional, Financial Exploitation, Confinement, Willful Deprivation, Passive Neglect, Self-Neglect and Abandonment.
What We Do
Caseworkers receive reports of suspected abuse and then investigate the allegations. The caseworker assesses the alleged victim’s needs and particularly the need for immediate intervention to protect the person from further and/or ongoing abuse. The program is client-focused, and all activities are guided by a competent client’s wishes.
Eligibility
The CRIS APS Program serves Vermilion County residents who are at least 60 years of age and persons with disabilities age 18-59 who are alleged victims of abuse.
Who To Call
If you or someone you know meets these criteria and may be a victim of abuse, please contact CRIS at (217) 443-2999 Monday – Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm, or the Illinois Department on Aging 24-Hour Abuse Helpline at (866) 800-1409. Your call is FREE and confidential. As always, call 911 for emergencies.
Legal Remedies and Resources Manual
Click to Download
Reporting suspected abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of adults age 60 or older and people with disabilities age 18-59 living in your community.
Anyone can report a case of abuse in good faith.
The Adult Protective Services Act provides that people – who in good faith report suspected abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or cooperate with an investigation – are 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 a court. Anonymous reports are accepted.
Certain professionals are required by law to report suspected abuse.
Illinois has a law which requires certain professionals to make reports of suspected abuse of adults age 60 or older or people with disabilities age 18-59 who are unable, due to dysfunction, to report for themselves.
This law applies to persons delivering professional services to adults age 60 or older or people with disabilities age 18-59 in the following fields:
- social services
- adult care
- law enforcement
- education
- medicine
- state service to seniors
- social workers
*Mandatory reporting requirements only apply when the reporter believes that the adult is not capable of reporting the abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation themselves.
For more information, see the booklet, “Reporting Abuse: What Professionals Need to Know,” listed in Publications. For a free copy, contact the IDoA Senior HelpLine.
To Report Abuse
To report suspected abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of an adult age 60 or older or a person with disabilities age 18-59 call the statewide, 24-hour Adult Protective Services Hotline: 1-866-800-1409, 1-888-206-1327 (TTY).
For residents who live in nursing facilities, call the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Nursing Home Complaint Hotline: 1-800-252-4343.
For residents who live in Supportive Living Facilities (SLFs), call the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ SLF Complaint Hotline: 1-800-226-0768.
- The reporter should be prepared to answer the following questions to the best of their ability…
- The alleged victim’s name, address, telephone number, sex, age, and general condition;
- The alleged abuser’s name, sex, age, relationship to victim and condition;
- The circumstances which lead the reporter to believe that the adult age 60 or older or person with disabilities age 18-59 is being abused, neglected, or financially exploited, with as much specificity as possible;
- Whether the alleged victim is in immediate danger, the best time to contact the person, if he or she knows of the report, and if there is any danger to the case worker going out to investigate;
- Whether the reporter believes the client could make a report themselves;
- The name, telephone number, and profession of the reporter;
- The names of others with information about the situation;
- If the reporter is willing to be contacted again; and,
- Any other relevant information.
Confidentiality
All reports and records of the Adult Protective Services Program are subject to strict confidentiality provisions, except as provided by law or court order.
Tori Goodwin
Director of Quality APS
(217) 443-2999
Email Tori