3001 Introduction

Georgia State Seal

Georgia Division of Aging Services
Adult Protective Services Manual

Chapter:

3000 Investigation and Assessment

Effective Date:

Section Title:

Introduction

Reviewed or Updated in:

MT 2019-04

Section Number:

3001

Previous Update:

Summary Statement

Pursuant to O.C.G.A. §30-5-5, the Director of the Division of Aging Services of the Department of Human Services “shall conduct or have conducted a prompt and thorough investigation to determine whether the disabled adult or elder person is in need of protective services and what services are needed. The investigation shall include a visit to the person and consultation with others having knowledge of the facts of the particular case.”

Basic Considerations

Reports that meet APS criteria will be assigned for investigation and a complete assessment of all risks and unmet needs shall be made by APS. This includes risk indicators alleged by the reporter as well as those identified during the investigation that may create serious harm or maltreatment.

Reporters may not be aware of all the dynamics of the situation they are reporting. Solid APS investigations in all risk areas can uncover A/N/E that is often subtle, intertwined with other risk indicators, or risks not known to the reporter. For example, a caregiver may not be purchasing medications for the client (neglect indicator) because he is using the client’s financial resources for his own benefit (exploitation indicator).

APS investigators will address all areas of A/N/E in each case, even in the absence of reported indicators.

Purpose of The Investigation and Assessment

The APS investigation and assessment are done concurrently and have two distinct purposes. Completed APS cases must address both a thorough investigation of the allegations, as well as a comprehensive assessment of client unmet needs, the support system and ongoing risk.

Investigation

Establish facts that will be useful in determining whether the reported individual is a victim of maltreatment or self-neglect. Investigation is the process of determining whether A/N/E has occurred, who/what is responsible for A/N/E, and the likelihood of recurrence.

Assessment

Identify risks; determine client areas of strengths and needs; determine potential need for services. Assessment is the process of gathering information, analyzing the information, drawing conclusions and making decisions to minimize or eliminate the risk factors that led to A/N/E.

The Investigation and assessment process must include but are not limited to the following:

  • A face to face visit with the subject of the report;

  • Interviews with collateral contacts identified at the time of intake and collaterals discovered during the investigation that have knowledge of the situation. Collateral information is necessary to make the investigative determination of substantiated or unsubstantiated for A/N/E.

    Interpreter services shall be provided to limited English proficient and/or sensory impaired (LEP/SI) clients/collaterals (Refer to POL 1701 Department of Human Services Administrative manual).

    APS staff is not required to seek interpreter services when interviewing LEP/SI clients/collaterals for which they share a native language (i.e. native Spanish speaker to native Spanish speaker) or have passed a Language Proficiency Test administered by the language testing services. However, these individuals are not to act as an interpreter for other staff members unless they have passed the Interpreter Skills Test.

  • Supporting documents related to the A/N/E, functional capacity and cognitive capacity such as medical records, financial records, utility statements, Power of Attorney, etc.

  • Completed case related documentation in the electronic information management system

  • Case assessment tools

  • Case notes

  • Determination/justification statement (Ref to 3012 Documentation of this manual)

  • Disabled Adult and Abuse Report (DAAR)

Supervisors Responsibilities

The supervisor is responsible for:

  • assigning new investigations;

  • reading the record;

  • determining the quality of investigative work;

  • providing consultation;

  • requesting further actions as needed to be taken by the case manager prior to the supervisor’s closure of the investigation;

  • Determine if new investigations require APS Management Team Case Staffing;

    Cases in need of an APS Management Team Case Staffing include:

    • Cases involving DHS employees, media or other high-profile situations or anyone else requiring case designation of confidential;

    • Multiple investigations on the same client within a 12-month period presenting with the same allegations;

    • Multiple investigations on the same client within a 12-month period in which severity of allegations has steadily progressed;

    • Multiple investigations for the same client in which capacity is repeatedly called into question.

  • closing investigations;

  • and; if applicable, opening the case for on-going services

References

O.C.G.A. §30-5-5
DHS POL 1701 Section IV