Adult Protective Services

Morris County Adult Protective Services (APS) investigates allegations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults.

What is a vulnerable adult?

A vulnerable adult is defined as a person 18 years of age or older who resides in a community setting and who, because of a physical or mental illness, disability or deficiency, lacks sufficient understanding or capacity to make, communicate, or carry out decisions concerning his or her well-being.

  • Abuse: the willful infliction of physical pain, injury, or mental anguish, unreasonable confinement, or the willful deprivation of services which are necessary to maintain a person’s physical and mental health.
  • Sexual abuse: any sexual activity where the vulnerable adult does not consent or is incapable of resisting or declining consent due to disability or fear of retributions or hardship.
  • Neglect: an act or failure to act by a vulnerable adult’s caretaker which results in the inadequate provision of care necessary to maintain the health of the vulnerable adult, putting him or her at risk of serious or life-threatening injury.
  • Self-neglect: the result of a vulnerable adult’s inability, due to physical and/or mental impairments or diminished capacity, to perform essential self-care tasks, putting him or her at risk of serious or life-threatening injury.
  • Exploitation: the act of illegally using the person or resources of a vulnerable adult for another person’s profit or advantage.

Who is a Mandatory Reporter?

NJ State Law has deemed health care professionals, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and paramedics/emergency medical technicians as mandatory reporters.

Any of these professionals with reasonable cause to believe that a vulnerable adult is the subject of abuse, neglect, or exploitation shall report the information to the county APS provider.

Adults who need home-based services alone are not considered vulnerable. These individuals can be referred for care management services.

If you have questions or would like to make a referral, please call 973-326-7282.