LOS ANGELES COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
  Policy 303.03 Reporting Suspected Elder/Dependent Adult Abuse and Neglect
 
  PROCEDURES
  1. If there is impending danger involved, call 911.

    Adult Protective Services Duty (APS) Line: For any consultation on reporting please call (888) 202-4248 for an APS Intake Social Worker during regular working hours Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
     
  2. For immediate response (physical abuse, sexual abuse, no food, homelessness, etc.):
     
    1. Call the Elder Abuse Hotline at (877) 477-3646 

      NOTE:  Calling the Elder Abuse Hotline connects you with an operator who takes a report. If you need consultation, please call the APS Duty Line listed above.
       
    3. Save the SOC 341
    4. Use secure email and send to: APS Immediate Response email
       
  3. Use the Telecommunication Device for the Deaf: California Relay Service (CRS) at (888) 877-5379.
     
  4. For reporting long-term care facility suspected abuse, call the Long-Term Care Ombudsman:
     
    1. Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., call (800) 334-9473, or
    2. After Hours call (800) 231-4024
       
  5. For non-emergent reports, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) workforce members who are mandated reporters shall make a report immediately or as soon as is practically possible.
     
      1. Only add one (1) victim per online report form.
      2. If two (2) individuals live in the same household, file two separate reports, one for each victim.
         
    2. Prior to submitting the report, save the form to a secure computer drive.
      1. Use the "Print" button option "Print to PDF" drop down box from the printer selection option.
      2. Forward the saved file to your program manager or designee for uploading to IBHIS.
         
    3. Submit the report on the APS Website Intake. DO NOT send a duplicate report to APS.
       
  6. The program manager/designee shall ensure that a copy of the completed APS report is saved in the designated electronic health record (EHR) folder not discoverable under regular legal discovery proceedings. (IBHIS Notification Bulletin No. 21-02, June 4, 2021, Scanning in Avatar Quick Guide, Avatar Perceptive Scanning Demo 091819). 
     
  7. All completed hard copy reports shall be destroyed, or computer files deleted, upon confirming they have been successfully scanned into the EHR (DMH Policy 401.01).
     
  8. The reporting of elder/dependent adult abuse and neglect is a disclosure subject to the accounting requirements of Protected Health Information (PHI) under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and shall be disclosed on the Account Tracking Sheet (DMH Policy 501.03) located in paper format for DMH Integrated Behavioral Health Information Systems (IBHIS).
     
  9. Staff shall cooperate with Los Angeles County Aging & Disabilities Department on any requests for additional information if needed to investigate the report, subject to applicable confidentiality requirements.