Adult Protective Services

To protect and support vulnerable adults through collaboration.

Adult Protective Services (APS) staff investigate reports of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of adults who are unable to protect themselves due to a physical or mental limitation. APS staff assess the need for protective services and provide services to reduce the identified risk to the adult.

APS may investigate abuse/neglect/exploitation of an adult in any living arrangement including nursing homes, group homes, their own homes, homes of relatives or friends, etc. The exception is residents of state operated institutions for individuals with mental illness or developmental disabilities.

For additional information, view our APS brochure. 

Adult Protection Act

The General Assembly passed the Tennessee Protective Services for Elderly Persons Act in 1974. This was later repealed and amended to include all adults with the passage in 1978 of the Tennessee Adult Protection Act. For more information on the Tennessee Adult Protection Act view Title 71, Chapter 6, Part 1.

Self-Neglect occurs when a dependent adult is unable to care for him/ herself or to obtain needed care. Cognitive or physical impairments may result in significant danger to the adult; in some situations, deterioration can occur to the point that the adult’s life may be at risk.

For further details and signs of self-neglect, view the Signs of Self-Neglect flyer.

Neglect occurs when the basic needs of a dependent adult are not met by a caregiver. Neglect may be unintentional, resulting from the caregiver’s inability to provide or arrange for the care or services the adult requires. Neglect may also be due to the intentional failure of the caregiver to meet the adult’s needs.

For definitions and indicators of neglect, view the Signs of Neglect flyer.

Abuse is the infliction of physical or mental harm or placing a person in fear of such harm. It can include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse or neglect.

Physical abuse may include slapping, hitting, pinching, bruising or causing someone physical pain, injury or suffering. This also could include confining an adult against his/her will, such as locking someone in a room, tying him/her to furniture or purposefully mismanaging their medication.

Sexual Abuse includes exposure to inappropriate content, and threats or coercion to participate in non-consensual sexual activities. This is particularly true with vulnerable adults who are unable to give consent or comprehend the nature of these actions.

For further details on signs of Physical, Emotional, and Sexual Abuse, view the Signs of Abuse flyer.

Financial Exploitation: APS investigates cases of financial exploitation which occurs when a caregiver improperly uses government funds intended for the care of or use for a vulnerable adult.

Financial Abuse: APS investigates financial abuse which occurs when a caregiver misuses an adult’s resources and creates a situation where the adult is unable to care for themselves or obtain needed services to maintain the adult’s personal health or welfare.

For further details and signs, view the Signs of Financial Exploitation and Abuse flyer.

Clients, regardless of age or condition, have a right and responsibility to direct their own lives to the extent that it is possible for them to do so. This means that each client must:

• Be given every opportunity to make plans for himself/herself to the degree possible;
• Be given full and honest information about the alternatives and options that are available to assist in making an informed decision;
• Be given the opportunity to direct to the degree and order in which services are provided; and
• Be protected through APS intervention when the client’s mental capacity for self-determination is impaired and the risk of irreparable harm or death is high.

Although the principle of self-determination requires that clients be free to make their own decisions, it is the responsibility of Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) to protect the client when mental capacity for self-determination is impaired.

Clients, regardless of age or condition, have a right and responsibility to direct their own lives to the extent that it is possible for them to do so. This means that each client must:

• Be given every opportunity to make plans for himself/herself to the degree possible;
• Be given full and honest information about the alternatives and options that are available to assist in making an informed decision;
• Be given the opportunity to direct to the degree and order in which services are provided; and
• Be protected through APS intervention when the client’s mental capacity for self-determination is impaired and the risk of irreparable harm or death is high.

Although the principle of self-determination requires that clients be free to make their own decisions, it is the responsibility of Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) to protect the client when mental capacity for self-determination is impaired.