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Adult Protective Services Frequently Asked Questions
Question eight: What could assist APS in helping the community understand its Mission? |
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Adult Protective Services Frequently Asked Questions
Question eight: What could assist APS in helping the community understand its Mission? |
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● The APS Act makes it the duty of every citizen of NM to report maltreatment of an incapacitated adult to the department. ● Failing to report or impeding an investigation could be prosecuted as a misdemeanor. ● An outreach effort to educate the public to this hidden epidemic of elder and adult abuse appears necessary. ● APS needs to do a better job of educating the public about what we do and do not/cannot do and begin forming regional community partnerships to increase the reporting of adult maltreatment in New Mexico. ● With caseloads increasing by 5% overall and significantly more in some counties, there are workload issues to consider. Thus, APS needs to better train workers and more effectively utilize existing resources before referral increases can be managed optimally. |