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Adult Protective Services

Protective Services for Adults (PSA) is a New York State-mandated program provided without regard to income. It assists adults aged 18 or older who, due to a mental or physical impairment, are unable to meet their basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, or medical care. The program also supports individuals who cannot protect themselves from neglect, abuse, or financial exploitation and who have no one available or willing to provide assistance in a responsible manner.

Make an Adult Protective Services Referral

Phone

Call 518-344-2830
during regular business hours

Online

Online referral form
coming soon

Caseworkers from Adult Protective Services have three business days to respond to a referral made. If the situation is considered life threatening, the home visit will be made within 24 hours. 

What can Protective Services for Adults offer? 

  • Investigation
  • Assessment
  • Case Management
  • Advocacy
  • Money Management- Only in the form of Rep Payee Services for social security benefits only
  • Referrals for in-home services to assist with activities of daily living
  • Assist clients with researching supportive housing, assisted living, or nursing home facilities
  • Assist clients with getting orders of protections, if seek such relief
  • Guardianship Services- Petition the court when APS supportive services are not enough to ensure safety, due to legal incompetence.  Legal Incompetence means a person does not have the cognitive ability to make decisions for themselves.  A hearing is held and the Judge legally determines a person to be incapacitated and assigns a legal guardian. 

Rights of the Individual

Adults have the inherent right to make their own decisions, whether those decisions are good or bad. They may choose to accept or refuse the services offered. However, in cases of extreme need, the Schenectady County Department of Social Services may intervene to ensure the individual’s safety, regardless of their willingness to voluntarily accept help.

Adult Protective Services does not conduct welfare checks.  If you believe someone is in immediate danger or harm you may call your local law enforcement agency and request a welfare check.  They can respond quicker than Adult Protective Services.

Adult Protective Services is not the same as CPS (Child Protective Services) Adult Protective Services cannot go into peoples homes and remove them or place them in another environment without their consent. We can work with individuals if they are looking to transition to a higher level of care and provide information, resources and assist with this process.

Adult Protective Services cannot order individuals out of a home.  The client would need to file a petition to make this happen. Adult Protective Services can assist with this process and at times file documents on the clients behalf, but the client needs to be in agreement with this plan.

Adult Protective Services is able to act as a clients representative payee, for social security benefits only. Other sources of income such as pensions, annuities, and other income outside of social security  cannot be managed under rep payee services.

The Adult Protective Services Unit does not directly provide immediate housing.  Adult Protective Services can work with clients and assist them in planning with their own funds for safe, temporary housing.  If a client is without resources, they can come down to 797 Broadway and meet with Temporary Assistance to see if they are eligible for housing in one of the counties shelters or motels.

Adult Protective Services is not able to determine if an individual is safe for driving. You may contact the individuals doctor,  who can complete a form and submit it to the Department of Motor Vehicles if they believe an individual should no longer be driving.

Adult Protective Services can work with mental health professionals in the community to assess an individual’s mental status and needed intervention. This may include contacting Northern River Mobile Crisis Team, DSS Community Services or calling 911.

Adult Protective Services Caseworkers provide many of the same services that workers from OPWDD provide.  If a client has a caseworker through the Office of People with Developmental Disabilities they can assist a client in the same capacity as an Adult Protective Services Caseworker. Adult Protective Services does provide representative payee services for clients who need this service, which often time OPWDD is unable to provide.