Adult protection: policies and procedure

The following identify resources and training that support APS workers meeting education requirements under 626.557 Subd. 9e.

Minnesota APS Foundations – APS Foundations is an online course offered by the MN DHS Adult Protection Unit and provides a basic introduction to the MN adult protection system for new APS professionals, or APS professionals seeking a refresher. The course focuses on fundamental elements such as APS statutes, definitions, MN Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC), lead investigative agencies (LIAs), and APS case overview from intake to case closure.

APS Foundations training dates are intended to precede SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training dates as much as possible so that APS workers have the option to attend policy-focused training (APS Foundations) and systems-focused training (SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training) sequentially.

APS Foundations supports equity and consistency in service response, as well as outcomes that safeguard and promote dignity for vulnerable adults regardless of their location in Minnesota. The course addresses core competency training recommendations in the ACL Voluntary Consensus Guidelines for State APS Systems.

Please contact the DHS Adult Protection team with any questions, including upcoming training dates, at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us.

• MN APS eLearning Modules provide free asynchronous eLearning courses for Minnesota APS professionals. Click the links below to access each training module.
• 1 What is Adult Protection in Minnesota?
• 2 Adult Protection Services Populations Served and Eligibility
• 3 MAARC Functions and Duties 
• 4 Lead Investigative Agencies (LIA) and Jurisdictions for Maltreatment Response 
• 5 EPS Intake
• 6 APS Intake 
• 7 Assessment Response 
• 8 APS Assessment  
• 9 APS Coordination and Data Sharing 
• 10 Completing Protective Services and Case Closure 
• 11 Engagement Strategies 
• 12 Completing Final Disposition and Appeals 

Please contact the DHS Adult Protection team with any questions at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us.

• National Adult Protection Training Center (NATC) – the NATC  provides free asynchronous eLearning courses for APS professionals nationwide. NATC course topics include: APS Overview; Ethics, Values, and Cultural Responsiveness; Voluntary Case Planning; Trauma-Informed Practices; Case Documentation; and many more. 
  
  To access NATC eLearning courses, create a free account and click "Find Courses.” Check out the NATC LMS User Guide (PDF) if you need help creating an account or navigating the website.
  
  The NATC is operated by NAPSA and is supported by the ACL. NATC training offerings are supplemental to MN APS Foundations and MN APS eLearning modules, and are one method to meet the MN APS statutory of 8 hours annual training specific to adult protection duties.

Public awareness materials are available via eDocs. eDocs is a document repository that contains forms and documents in multiple languages. The searchable document library (eDocs) allows clients, county and tribal workers, providers, employees and other stakeholders to easily access current versions of documents. A search for "Adult Protection" will yield numerous documents, including the MN Adult Abuse Reporting Center brochure, which is available in English, Hmong, Karen, Lao, Somali, Spanish, Pashto, and Vietnamese. 

Adult Protection PSA videos to encourage reporting of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults are available online. View all PSA versions on the Minnesota Adult Protection YouTube page.

APS public awareness toolkit provides downloadable content for multiple platforms to promote safety and well-being for adults who may be vulnerable or maltreated. The toolkit includes: flyers to print or email, poster, videos to post to social media channels, social media posts, and website content. All of these materials are free and available to use.

• Adult Protective Services (APS) Guidelines
• Making mandated reports
• Mandated reporter training
• Law Enforcement
• SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training

Adult protective services (APS) is an essential human service program administered by counties and tribes responsible for service response in appropriate cases for vulnerable adults who are reported to the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC). APS is also responsible for investigation of the reported allegation when the person or agency alleged responsible is not licensed by DHS or the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). DHS provides training and offers policy guidance and consultation to APS.

Minnesota law requires local social service agencies to make decisions regarding protective services and investigation in response to reports of suspected maltreatment of a vulnerable adult. Counties use a suite of standardized tools when making decisions regarding protective services and investigation. Policy and procedure for county staff are found in the Minnesota Adult Protection Policy and Procedure Manual and the Minnesota Adult Protection Structured Decision Making® and Standardized Tools Guidelines and Procedures Manual.

The Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC) is the state centralized system for reporting suspected maltreatment of a vulnerable adult. MAARC is operated by DHS. MAARC is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for mandated reporters and the public. MAARC makes timely referrals to the agencies responsible to respond for protective services and investigation.

Mandated reporters are professionals, or professional's delegate, who are required under the state’s Vulnerable Adult Act to make an immediate report to MAARC if they suspect a vulnerable adult has been abused, neglected or financial exploited.

Phone reports can be made by calling the MAARC statewide toll-free number at 1-844-880-1574. Mandated reporters meet their reporting duty by making a web report at mn.gov/dhs/reportadultabuse/. Mandated reporters may refer to the MAARC Mandated Reporter Guide for information on using the web-based reporting system.

The MAARC online reporting system may occasionally be unavailable when system maintenance is being conducted.

Send MAARC feedback to dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us

Emergency: Call 911 before making a MAARC report if emergency response is needed from police, fire, or medical personnel. MAARC is NOT a replacement for 911. 

Out of state maltreatment: Maltreatment that occurred in another state, and is not suspected to be occurring in Minnesota, must be reported to the state in which the maltreatment occurred. The National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) has an APS map available online with information on reporting suspected abuse nationwide.

Mandated reporters are identified under Minnesota Statutes 626.5572.16 and are required to report suspected maltreatment of a vulnerable adult immediately to the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC). DHS offers Online Mandated Reporter Training on the state’s Vulnerable Adult Act, including who is a vulnerable adult, the definitions of maltreatment, and the reporting duties of mandated reporters. It is also available to any interested person.

The Law Enforcement Agencies and Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC) Notification and the MAARC Law Enforcement Data Interchange (LEDI) FAQ are available online.

The Social Services Information System (SSIS) is the statewide electronic records system used by APS. PartnerLink, the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ (DHS) website for county and tribal agencies, has information regarding SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training. PartnerLink materials include prerequisites, registration information, SSIS Adult Protection Worker class schedule, and training resources.