Abuse
INDEX
Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse or sexual mistreatment
Emotional Abuse or mental mistreatment
Neglect
Self-Neglect
Exploitation
Abandonment
Vulnerable Adult
Mandatory Reporter
Permissive Reporter
Adult Protective Services
Reporting Abuse
What You'll be Asked When Reporting Abuse
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse is intentional bodily injury. Some examples include slapping, pinching, choking, kicking, shoving, or inappropriately using drugs or physical restraints.
Signs of physical abuse
- bruises, black eyes, welts, lacerations, and rope marks
- broken bones
- open wounds, cuts, punctures, untreated injuries in various stages of healing
- broken eyeglasses/frames, physical signs of being subjected to punishment, and signs of being restrained
- laboratory findings of either an overdose or under dose of medications
- Individual's report of being hit, slapped, kicked, or mistreated
- vulnerable adult's sudden change in behavior
- the caregiver's refusal to allow visitors to see vulnerable adult alone
Sexual Abuse or sexual mistreatment
Sexual abuse is nonconsensual sexual contact. Examples include unwanted touching, rape, sodomy, coerced nudity, sexual ly explicit potographing.
Signs of sexual abuse
- bruises around the breasts or genital area
- unexplained veneral disease or genital infections
- unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding
- torn, stained, or bloody underclothing
Emotional Abuse or mental mistreatment
Mental mistreatment is deliberately causing mental or emotional pain. Examples include intimidation, coercion, ridiculing, harassment; treating an adult like a child; isolating an adult from family, friends, or regular activity; use of silence to control behavior; and yelling or swearing which results in mental distress.
Signs of mental mistreatment
- being emotionally upset or agitated
- being extremely withdrawn and noncommunicative or nonresponsive
- unusual behavior usually attributed to dementia (i.e., sucking, biting, rocking)
- an individual's report of being verbally or mentally mistreated
Neglect
Neglect occurs when someone, either through action or inaction, deprives a vulnerable adult of care necessary to maintain physical or mental health.
Signs of neglect
- dehydration, malnutrition, untreated bed sores, and poor personal hygiene
- unattended or untreated health problems
- hazardous or unsafe living condition or arrangements (i.e., improper wiring, no heat, or no running water)
- unsanitary and unclean living conditions (i.e., dirt, fleas, lice on person, soiled bedding, fecal/urine smell, inadequate clothing)
- an individual's report of being mistreated
Self-neglect
Self-neglect occurs when a vulnerable adult fails to provide adequately for themselves. A competent person who decides to live their life in a manner which may threaten their safety or well-being does not come under this definition.
Signs of self-neglect
- dehydration, malnutrition, untreated or improperly attended medical conditions, and poor personal hygiene
- hazardous or unsafe living conditions or arrangements
- unsanitary or unclean living quarters (i.e., animal/insect infestation, no functioning toilet, fecal or unrine smell)
- inappropriate and/or inadequate clothing, lack of the necessary medical aids
- grossly inadequate housing or homelessness
- inadequate medical care, not taking prescribed medications properly
Exploitation
Exploitation occurs when a vulnerable adult or the resources or income of a vulnerable adult are illegally or improperly used for another person's profit or gain.
Signs of exploitation
- sudden changes in bank account or banking practice, including an unexplained withdrawal of large sums of money by a person accompanying the individual
- the inclusion of additional names on bank signature card
- unauthorized withdrawal of funds using ATM card
- abrupt changes in a will or other financial documents
- unexplained disappearance of funds or valuable possessions
- bills unpaid despite the availability of adequate financial resources
- forged signature for financial transaction and for the titles of possessions
- sudden appearance of previously uninvolved relatives claiming rights to affairs and possessions
- unexplained sudden transfer of assets to a family member or someone outside the family
- the provision of services that are not necessary
- individual's report of exploitation
Abandonment
Abandonment occurs when a vulnerable adult is left without the ability to obtain necessary food, clothing, shelter or health care.
Signs of abandonment
- desertion of an individual in public place
- desertion of individual in own home
- individual's report of being abandoned
Vulnerable Adult
A vulnerable adult is defined by law as:
- a person 60 years of age or older who lacks the functional, physical, or mental ability to care for him or herself
- adults 18 years of age or older who:
- have a legal guardian
- have a developmental disability
- live in a facility licensed by DSHS/ADSA
- receive services from an In-Home provider contracted by DSHS
- receive In-Home services through a licensed health, hospice, or home care agency
- self-directs their own care to a personal care aide who performs that care for compensation
Mandatory Reporter
The legal reference that mandates reporting of suspected abuse, neglect and financial exploitation is in chapter 74.34 RCW.
It is mandatory by law for some professionals to report suspected abuse. You MUST report suspected abuse if you are an:
- DSHS employee
- law enforcement officer
- social worker
- professional school personnel
- In-Home provider contracted to provide services for a DSHS client
- employee of any facility licensed by DSHS, such as employees and operators of boarding homes, adult family homes, nursing homes, residential habilitation centers and soldiers' homes
- health care provider subject to Title 18 RCW (such as a nurse or doctor)
- employee of a social service, welfare, mental health, adult day health, adult day care, home health, home care, or hsopice agency
- county coroner or medical examiner
- Christian Science practitioner
Permissive Reporter
A persmissive reporter is ANY PERSON, such as someone who works for a bank, an attorney, or volunteers in a facility or program providing services for vulnerable adults.
Adult Protective Services
Adult Protective Services (APS) protects vulnerable adults by investigating allegations of abuse, neglect, abandonment and financial exploitation. Based on the outcome of an investigation, APS may offer legal or social protective services. An adult maintains the right to refuse protective services. The vulnerable adult or the legal representative must give written consent for protective services and may end the services at any time. APS conducts an investigation at no charge and without regard to the income of the alleged victim. Some protective services may be provided without cost.
Reporting Abuse
If you think someone may be in danger or needs urgent help, call 911 or your local law enforcement agency immediately.
Call 1-866-ENDHARM (363-4276) if you suspect that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused or neglected. The operator will connect you with the right DSHS office to make your report. (Note: this number is for the general public only. Mandatory reporters should continue to call the direct reporting numbers below.)
Direct Reporting Numbers
If the person you suspect is being abused lives in a nursing home, boarding home (including assisted living facilities) or an adult family home, call the Complaint Resolution Unit toll-free hotline at 1-800-562-6078 to report.
If the person you suspect is being abused is living in their own home or somewhere other than a long-term care facility, call the number in your region to report to your county DSHS ADSA Home and Community Services APS office:
Region 1
(Spokane, Grant, Okanogan, Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Lincoln, Ferry, Stevens, Whitman and Pend Orielle counties)
1-800-459-0421
TTY: 1-509-568-3086
Region 2
(Yakima, Kittitas, Benton, Franklin, Walla Walla, Columbia, Garfield and Asotin counties)
1-877-389-3013
TTY: 1-800-973-5456
Region 3
(Snohomish, Skagit, Island, San Juan, Whatcom counties)
1-800-487-0416
TTY: 1-800-843-8058
Region 4
(King county)
1-866-221-4909
TTY: 1-800-977-5456
Region 5
(Pierce county)
1-800-442-5129
TTY: 1-800-688-1165
(Kitsap county)
1-888-833-4925
TTY: 1-800-688-1169
Region 6
(Thurston, Lewis, Clallam, Jefferson, Grays Harbor, Pacific, Wahkiakum, Cowlitz, Skamania, Klickitat, Clark counties)
1-877-734-6277
TTY: 1-800-672-7091
What You'll be Asked When Reporting Abuse
- the name, address, apartment number, age, and telephone number of the adult you think is being harmed
- any information about the circumstances
- the name, address, relationship and telephone number of the person you think is causing the harm
- names of other people who can provide information about the situation
- any safety concerns you may have
- your name and address (but your name remains confidential unless you give permission to release it, there is a judicial proceeding or DSHS forwards a potential crime report to law enforcement).