Call Fairfax County’s Adult Protective Services Hotline at 703-324-7450; TTY:703-449-1186 to report your concern. You may remain anonymous or give your name, if you prefer.

By law this call is strictly confidential.

Upon receipt of a valid report an APS social worker will make a thorough assessment of the person’s situation to determine whether protective services are needed. Our philosophy is to provide the least restrictive intervention necessary to protect the individual and to stabilize and help remedy the situation.

A person needs a guardian if, due to disability, the person has difficulty making decisions that keep him or her from harm,

AND

the person refuses or is unable to accept assistance or support services (such as money management or home care services) to protect her from harm;

OR

help is being provided but is not protecting the person from harm;

OR

the person has not previously chosen an individual to act in his behalf, or the individual chosen has not acted in her best interests;

AND

the person’s health and well being are in imminent danger, and decisions about medical treatment, placement, and/or finances must be made.

You can receive information about guardianship from the following local sources:

• Adult Protective Services: 703-324-7473
• Area Agency on Aging: 703-324-5411
• An attorney who specializes in elder law.

Some of our staff are bilingual. We also use interpreters. In addition, some of our written materials are printed in other languages.

In Fiscal Year 2006 (July 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006), APS investigated 632 cases of suspected abuse or neglect in Fairfax County. Of those cases, approximately 56% – or 351 adults – needed protective services.

www.aoa.gov
U.S. Administration on Aging
(includes information on the National Center on Elder Abuse)

www.ncoa.org
National Council on the Aging