Stop Adult Abuse

Adult Abuse & Neglect Hotline

Make a report online

or call 1-800-392-0210
Make a difference. Make the call.

Relay Missouri 1-800-735-2966

Important: Each report made is carefully reviewed for possible signs of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. While all reports are screened, not every situation will require a follow-up visit. Providing clear and detailed information helps our team make accurate and timely decisions about the appropriate response.

Missouri’s Adult Protective Services program helps eligible adults who require assistance with abusive, neglectful or exploitative situations. We offer intervention, education and prevention services along with supportive resources.

Understanding Abuse and Neglect

What is Abuse?

Abuse happens to people of all ethnicities and income levels and can be physical, sexual or emotional in nature.

Abuse – the infliction of physical, sexual, or emotional injury or harm including financial exploitation by any person, firm, or corporation (192.2400, RSMo).
Neglect – the failure to provide services to an eligible adult by any person, firm or corporation with a legal or contractual duty to do so, when such failure presents either an imminent danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the client or a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm would result (192.2400, RSMo).
Financial Exploitation – A person commits the crime of financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled person if such person knowingly and by deception, intimidation, or force obtains control over the elderly or disabled person's property with the intent to permanently deprive the elderly or disabled person of the use, benefit or possession of his or her property thereby benefiting such person or detrimentally affecting the elderly or disabled person (570.145, RSMo).
Bullying – intimidation or harassment that causes a reasonable person to fear for his or her physical safety or property and may consist of physical actions including gestures; cyberbullying; oral, electronic, or written communication; and any threat of retaliation for reporting of such acts. (192.2400,RSMo)

Eligibility for Adult Protective Services

An eligible adult is a person aged 18-59 with a disability, or aged 60 and over, who is unable to protect their own interests or meet their essential needs.

Reporting Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation

Who Can Report Abuse?

Anyone who suspects someone is being abused, neglected or exploited can make a report. Certain professionals, however, are mandated by law to report. Access a complete list of mandated reporting laws and mandated reporters.

Be prepared to provide the following information when reporting:

The individual’s name, address, age or Date of Birth and other identifying information.
Available contact information for the individual (such as phone number)
Why the individual is at risk for abuse, self-neglect, neglect or exploitation.
A description of the situation.
Any important identifiers of the alleged abuser.
Other dangers in the individual’s home, such as drugs, guns or vicious animals.

Reporters have the option to remain anonymous when making a report; however, if you choose to leave your name, your information will remain confidential by state law.

After a Report is Made

What Happens After I Make a Report?

Reports of Individuals Residing in the Community

If the alleged victim lives in his or her own home or community, an investigator will help the alleged victim determine the services or interventions needed to stop or alleviate the abuse. The services may include:

community supportive services, such as personal care, respite, or chore services;
home-delivered nutrition services;
financial or legal assistance and protections, such as representative payee, direct deposit, trusts, protective services, civil suit or criminal charges;
counseling for the victim;
referral to other community resources, and;
when needed, guardianship proceedings or nursing home placement.

If you would like to follow-up on a report you made to the Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline regarding an individual residing in the community (including his or her own home), contact the appropriate Adult Protective Services (APS) office in the county where the reported adult resides.

Long-Term Care Facility Complaints

If the alleged victim lives in a long-term care facility, the department’s Division of Regulation and Licensure staff conducts an investigation. Complaint investigations are handled in accordance with state statute. Long-term care reports or complaints are generally initiated within 24 hours. For more information, contact us or email info@health.mo.gov.

What About My Rights?

A competent older person may refuse all services and interventions. No decisions are made about a competent adult without his or her involvement and consent.
A facility resident has the right to:

be free from mental and physical abuse;
be informed of their medical condition;
select their own physician;
participate in planning their care;
refuse treatment;
voice grievances;
be treated with respect and dignity; and
have treatments provided in privacy.

For adults participating in the Protective Services Program, consideration is given to the following inherent rights:

self-determination
protection
confidentiality
participate in care planning
receive assistance
refuse services
refuse medical treatment

All programs stress the competent adult’s right to make decisions regarding care.

APS Outreach Material

Partnering to Protect Brochure
Adult Protective Services (APS) Informational Flyers
Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline Cards (available in Spanish and Braille)
Adult Abuse Poster
Intellectual/Developmental (I/DD) Disabilities Victimization Public Awareness Campaign: It’s Happening

Real Stories

Real Victims. Real Stories.

Samantha’s Story

A hotline report was received regarding Samantha. Samantha was a 38 years old and had a traumatic brain injury and the cognitive functioning abilities of a young child. The report alleged physical abuse by Samantha’s sister. During the investigation, the investigator learned that Samantha and her sister were arguing and the sister hit her in the face and throat. Even with opposition from other family members, the investigator encouraged Samantha and helped her obtain a medical exam and treatment. The sister told the investigator that she knew how to hit Samantha ‘without hurting her.' The family did not want law enforcement involved but the investigator made a report of the abuse to local law enforcement. As a result of the investigation and subsequent referral to law enforcement, charges filed against the sister for 3rd Degree Assault.

Edmond’s Story

A hotline report was received regarding Edmond. Edmond was 92 years old and terminally ill. He was living alone and the investigator found the house in deplorable condition. There was left-over food, dog feces, debris throughout the house. Roaches were observed on every surface of the home and Edmond had roach bites on his body. Edmond had no support system. After receiving medical treatment in the hospital, he spent approximately seven weeks in the homeless shelter with his dog while the investigator assisted in organizing community resources to take on the huge project of making Edmond’s home safe and insect free. This included complete removal of the furniture and carpet. In the end, Edmond was given his dying wish of being able to spend the remaining portion of his life in his home with his dog. Edmond is now receiving services in the home to assist with his daily needs and he is doing very well.

Ethel’s Story

A hotline report was received regarding Ethel. Ethel was 70 years old and the report indicated she had been physically abused for three hours by her son for revealing his whereabouts to law enforcement. After beating her, he drove Ethel to the local hospital and pushed her out of the moving vehicle in front of the emergency room doors. Ethel sustained severe bruising to her head, arms, legs, chest; lacerations to her head and face; and hemorrhaging around her eye. The next day, the son arrived at the hospital to visit his mother and was arrested, and charged with 2nd degree Elder Abuse. He was sentenced to 8 years in prison for what he did to his mother.

Resources and Advocacy

Advocates for an older adult or an adult with a disability:

Shared Care Tax Credit

If you care for a person in your home, you might be eligible for a tax credit on your Missouri Income Tax Return. This includes spouses taking care of a sick husband or wife; or children taking care of a disabled parent. The Missouri Shared Care Tax Credit provides a tax credit to help caregivers offset the costs of caring for a person (age 60 or older).

The Shared Care Tax Credit:

May be up to $500 for the tax year. The credit is the amount of your Missouri tax liability or $500, whichever is less.
Is non-refundable and cannot be carried over to another tax year. However, there is a provision that allows claiming the credit for three previous tax years.
Applies to the tax return of the “caregiver”, not to the tax return of the recipient of the care, unless the caregiver and recipient of care are married and file a combined tax return.

Eligible Applicants:

The caregiver of the person needing care (age 60 or older) must be registered with the Department of Health and Senior Services as a certified “Shared Care Member” and not receive monetary compensation for providing care for the recipient. In other words, you cannot receive any pay or compensation for providing care to the care recipient.
The care recipient must live in the same residence as the caregiver for an aggregate of more than six months per tax year. It does not need to be consecutive six months, but a total of more than six months for the year. For example, the care recipient lived with you from April through May, then went to a nursing home for rehabilitation services for two months, then came back and lived with you from August through December. That would be a total of more than six months care in your home for the year.
- The care recipient must be physically or mentally incapable of living alone, as determined and certified by a physician, pursuant to Chapter 334,RSMo; and
- The care recipient requires assistance with activities of daily living to the extent that without care and oversight at home would require placement in a licensed facility, such as a nursing home pursuant to Chapter 198,RSMo; and
- Under no circumstances is the recipient able or allowed to operate a motor vehicle; and
- Does not receive services paid for by Medicaid or Social Services Block Grant funds.

Process to Claim the Tax Credit:

The Shared Care Registration form is completed by the caregiver and returned to the address that is on the form.
The MO-SCC (Physician Certification) is completed by the care recipient’s physician and sent to the Department of Revenue along with the caregiver’s income tax return. Form MO-SCC - Shared Care Tax Credit
Once your shared care registration form is processed, you will receive a letter from the Dept. of Health & Senior Services concerning your registration. A representative with the Dept. of Revenue will contact DHSS and inquire if the caregiver is registered as a Shared Care member.
You must complete the registration process with the Department of Health & Senior Services for each year you want to claim the credit.

You can also call the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services at (573)751-4842 and request a Shared Care Registration Packet by mail.

More information can be found at Shared Care Tax Credit

Other State Offices

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Hot Weather

Check on seniors or loved ones this summer. Report a senior or disabled adult in need of assistance due to hot weather. Beat the heat, find a cooling center near you.

General Information	Mandated Reporters
Adult Protective Services Long Term Care Facility Complaints Signs of Abuse Neglect Self Neglect Financial Exploitation	Training COMING SOON Am I a Mandated Reporter? Safety Registry Employee Disqualification Mandated Reporters and APS

General Information

Mandated Reporters

Training COMING SOON

Materials can be downloaded and printed or can be ordered by contacting DSDS Office of Constituent Services.

Adult Protective Multidisciplinary Teams

Adult Protective Multidisciplinary Teams (MDT). Providing Justice and Care for Older and Disabled Victims of Abuse.

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Topic Menu

Adult Abuse & Neglect Hotline

Make a report online

or call 1-800-392-0210Make a difference. Make the call.

Relay Missouri 1-800-735-2966

Missouri’s Adult Protective Services program helps eligible adults who require assistance with abusive, neglectful or exploitative situations. We offer intervention, education and prevention services along with supportive resources.

Hot Weather

Materials can be downloaded and printed or can be ordered by contacting DSDS Office of Constituent Services.

or call 1-800-392-0210
Make a difference. Make the call.