|
The adult who is vulnerable, an interested party identified in statute, and the person determined responsible for maltreatment have a right to appeal the final determination of the maltreatment made by APS following conclusion of the investigation. The DHS Appeals Division provides answers to commonly asked questions about the appeals process on their website, as well as a short video explaining the process for appealing a decision. Additional information is available in Appendix A of the APS Policy Manual, Adult Protection Final Investigative Disposition Due Process Appeals Rights.
MNPrairie County Alliance APS connected with an adult vulnerable to maltreatment when they noticed money missing from their bank account. APS collaborated with law enforcement and determined that the adult’s power of attorney was misusing their funds. The adult wanted help and support to move on with their life and get out of the situation they were in but didn’t know where to start.
The adult did not have a lot of positive people in their life, but the few in their life made a huge impact to get them where they are today. Through APS’s engagement and rapport building, APS worked with the adult and their support system in many ways:
- Supported the adult in finding different housing
- Communicated with social security to stop social security funds until a rep payee was put in place to manage the adult’s funds and pay bills
- Communicated with the MNPrairie County Alliance housing support program staff to access and use the agency’s housing support funds to pay for the apartment deposit and first month rent as the adult lacked the financial resources due to the misuse of funds
- Used APS direct allocation to provide groceries and recharge the adult’s cell phone
- Worked with the adult to establish a local bank account in their new community
- Connected the adult with a local resource to routinely assist them in reading their mail and scheduling appointments, as the adult does not read or write
- This local resource further provided a volunteer driver to assist them in reaching their medical appointments. It was discovered this volunteer driver also happened to be a neighbor, further creating an additional form of support beyond the transportation service they provide
Kudos to the MNPrairie County Alliance APS team who worked on utilizing the adult’s supports and their knowledge of resources to ensure long-term supports for the adult.
Thank you for this example of person-centered service - putting the needs of adults vulnerable to maltreatment at the center of your practice!
Do you have a story to share of how your APS program or an individual worker improved the safety and dignity or an adult who is vulnerable to maltreatment, or whose engagement with the adult or their supports in assessment, planning, and service interventions stopped, reduced risk, or prevented maltreatment or reoccurrence?
We would love to share your examples of how APS makes a difference. Send your idea to dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us
|
Vulnerable Adult Status
Question: Does the adult have to meet vulnerable adult status at the time the MAARC referral is made or when the suspected maltreatment occurred?
Answer: The adult must meet vulnerable status at the time the suspected maltreatment occurred.
During intake APS evaluates the maltreatment report and gathers any additional information needed to complete the standard intake tool to assess the adult’s vulnerability status. APS should determine if the adult received licensed services or lived in a licensed facility at the time of the suspected maltreatment or regardless of residence or any type of service received, if the adult possessed a physical or mental impairment that impeded their ability to provide adequately for their own care without assistance at the time the suspected maltreatment occurred.
For example, an Adult is admitted to a hospital and shares that they were sexually assaulted by a family member. Though the adult meets vulnerable adult status at the time of the MAARC referral as they are an inpatient of a hospital, APS must determine if the adult met vulnerable adult status at the time the maltreatment occurred.
Question?
Please connect with the DHS Adult Protection Unit at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us or (651) 431-2609.
|
Data help policy makers and the public understand the nature and scope of an issue. In the case of adult protection, data provide a basis to understand if vulnerable adults are treated fairly and justly in our state. Data can impact program evaluation, benchmarks for quality and performance outcomes, budget planning and resource allocation, and inform evidenced based prevention and remediation/service response for vulnerable adults who have been maltreated.
“Without data, you're just another person with an opinion."
― W. Edwards Deming
The image below is from the National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS) 2021 Adult Maltreatment Report. The chart shows 55.4% of states and territories utilize a centralized model for receiving APS reports. Minnesota uses a centralized model with the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC) receiving reports of suspected maltreatment from across the state.
National APS Models for Receiving Reports
DHS Adult Protection Resource Specialist (APRS)
DHS Adult Protection Resource Specialist (APRS) staff support APS workers and supervisors with policy clarification and case consultation regarding intake, assessment, service intervention, and assessment outcomes for the safety and dignity of adults vulnerable to maltreatment reported as having experienced maltreatment.
Connect with an APRS today at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us or (651) 431-2609.
Vulnerable Adult Protection Dashboard
The Vulnerable Adult Protection Dashboard provides annual state and county data on the number of reports, allegations, and investigation determinations to explain what happens after reports of suspected maltreatment are made to the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC).
MN APS Foundations
MN APS Foundations is an online course offered by the MN DHS Adult Protection Unit and provides basic introduction to the MN adult protection system for new APS professionals, or APS professionals seeking a refresher. The course focuses on fundamental elements such as APS statutes, definitions, MAARC, MN APS Operational Plan, lead investigative agencies (LIAs), and APS case overview from intake to case closure. Attendees will need to complete both days to receive a certificate of completion.
APS Foundations training dates are intended to precede SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training offerings, so APS professionals have the option to attend policy-focused training (APS Foundations) and systems-focused training (SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training) sequentially.
Upcoming APS Foundations Dates (registration is for both days):
2024 Training Dates TBD
MN APS Foundations supports equity and consistency in service response and outcomes that safeguard and promote dignity for vulnerable adults regardless of their location in Minnesota, and the course addresses core competency training recommendations in the ACL Voluntary Consensus Guidelines for State APS Systems.
Please contact us at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us if you have any questions.
SSIS Essentials eLearning
SSIS Essentials is a collection of six eLearning courses designed to provide caseworkers with an introduction to basic navigation and functionality of core SSIS functions. SSIS Essentials eLearning is offered through TrainLink. New workers are encouraged (not required) to take the online SSIS Essentials eLearning courses prior to taking SSIS Adult Protection Worker training.
Please visit the SSIS Essentials eLearning website for registration and TrainLink instructions, technical requirements, and more detailed information about each of the six SSIS Essentials courses.
SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training
The SSIS Adult Protection Worker course is a technical training designed to provide an overview of data entry as related to Adult Protective Services (APS) into SSIS. The training is offered in two half-day virtual classes and is designed for new adult protection workers, SSIS Mentors, and those seeking a refresher. New workers are encouraged to take the online SSIS Essentials eLearning courses prior to SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training. More information can be found on the SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training website.
Upcoming SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training:
- Dec 4 and 7, 2023
- Jan 22 and 25, 2024
- March 4 and 7, 2024
- April 29 and May 2, 2024
- June 3 and 6, 2024
Please visit the SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training website for registration instructions, additional resources, and more detailed information about the course.
National Adult Protective Services Training Center (NATC)
The National Adult Protective Services Training Center (NATC) provides free training for APS professionals nationwide. NATC course topics include: APS Overview; Ethics, Values, and Cultural Responsiveness; Voluntary Case Planning; Trauma-Informed Practices; Case Documentation; and many more. To access, create a free account and click "Find Courses" to view available courses. Check out the NATC LMS User Guide if you need help creating an account or navigating the website.
The NATC is operated by NAPSA and is supported by the ACL. NATC training offerings are supplemental to MN APS Foundations training for APS professionals, and are one method to meet the MN APS statutory requirement of 8 hours annual training specific to adult protection duties.
|
APS Technical Assistance and Resource Center (TARC)
APS TARC provides a variety of no-cost educational opportunities for APS professionals including webinars, briefs, and toolkits that align with APS Core Competencies in national standards. APS TARC offerings address a wide variety of topics including APS supervision, frauds and scams, interviews with experts, APS investigation, impacts of COVID-19 on APS, and more. Keep up to date with APS TARC offerings by joining their mailing list.
|
Additional Practice Resources
Find information on adult protection policy, procedure, resources, and training information for mandated reporters and APS on the DHS Adult Protection: Policies and Procedures web page. Specific training resources for APS workers are included under the "Adult protection worker resources and training" drop down. These resources support APS workers meeting education requirements under 626.557 Subd. 9e.
The DHS Adult Protection Newsletter shares knowledge specific to adult protection work in MN, answers common questions regarding adult protection work in MN, and provides awareness of DHS Adult Protection training opportunities. Please contact us with any questions or concerns at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us or (651) 431-2609
For more information about DHS Adult Protection, please visit us online DHS AP: Program Overview
|
