What is Adult Protective Services in Florida?
Adult Protective Services is a program of the Florida Department of Children and Families. Their mission is to protect vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and self-neglect, as well as to enable adults with disabilities to remain comfortable in their communities.
A vulnerable adult, as defined by Florida Statute §415.102, is “a person 18 years of age or older whose ability to perform the normal activities of daily living or to provide for his or her own care or protection is impaired due to a mental, emotional, sensory, long-term physical, or developmental disability or dysfunction, or brain damage, or the infirmities of aging.” If you suspect that a vulnerable adult you know is the victim of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect, do not hesitate to call the Florida Abuse Hotline, 1-800-962-2873. The suspected abuse can also be reported online at https://reportabuse.dcf.state.fl.us/.
For more information, visit the Adult Protective Services website, http://www.myflfamilies.com/service-programs/adult-protective-services. If you believe that a Florida senior may be the victim of financial exploitation, contact the attorneys at Bach, Jacobs & Byrne, P.A. to discuss your options and legal remedies to end the abuse. Call (941) 906-1231 to schedule an appointment.
