By Raleigh Senior Advisor Care Team · August 6, 2026
How to report suspected abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of an older or disabled adult in Wake County, why North Carolina's Adult Protective Services system is organized county by county rather than through one statewide hotline, and when to call DHSR instead.
North Carolina's Adult Protective Services System Is County-Run, Not Statewide
Unlike some states that operate a single statewide Adult Protective Services (APS) hotline, North Carolina administers APS at the county level, through each county's Department of Social Services, under the oversight of the NC Division of Social Services. This means there is no single toll-free number that works the same way everywhere in the state — a report about a vulnerable adult in Wake County goes to Wake County Human Services, while a report about someone living in Durham, Orange, Johnston, Chatham, Franklin, or Harnett county goes to that county's own DSS.
For families and neighbors across the Triangle, the practical takeaway is simple but important: know which county your loved one actually lives in, not just which city, since some Triangle towns straddle or sit near county lines. A report should go to the DSS of the county where the adult resides, not necessarily where the family member making the report lives.
How to Report in Wake County
Wake County Adult Protective Services operates as part of Wake County Human Services' Senior and Adult Services division. To report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an older or disabled adult living anywhere in Wake County — including Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Garner, Wake Forest, and every other Wake County city or town — call 919-212-7264 during business hours.
Reports can come from anyone: a family member, a neighbor, a home care worker, a bank employee who notices suspicious account activity, or the vulnerable adult themselves. You do not need proof before reporting, and you do not need to be a mandated reporter — you only need a reasonable, good-faith concern. If the situation involves immediate danger to someone's life or safety, call 911 first, before or in addition to contacting APS.
What Counts as Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation Under NC's APS Framework
APS in North Carolina generally responds to reports involving disabled adults of any age or adults age 18 and older who are unable to protect themselves due to a physical or mental impairment, and who are experiencing abuse (physical, emotional, or sexual harm), neglect (failure to provide for basic needs, whether by a caregiver or through self-neglect), or exploitation (illegal or improper use of a vulnerable adult's money, property, or resources by someone else).
This covers situations both inside a family home and inside a caregiver relationship — an adult child failing to provide adequate care for a parent, a hired home care worker stealing from a client, a spouse withholding medication, or an older adult unable to care for themselves and living alone without support. It's a broader category than many people assume, and Wake County APS staff, not the reporter, make the determination about whether a specific situation meets the threshold for investigation.
What Happens After You Report
Once Wake County Human Services receives a report, an APS social worker is assigned to assess the situation, which typically involves an in-person visit with the adult in question (unless the adult refuses, which they generally have the right to do if they have decision-making capacity), interviews with relevant parties, and a review of the immediate risk. From there, the caseworker determines what intervention, if any, is appropriate and legally available.
It's important for reporters to understand that APS's authority to intervene is often more limited than families expect, especially when the adult in question has legal capacity and declines help. Adults have the right to make choices that others consider risky, including the choice to remain in an unsafe living situation, as long as they understand the risks and are not being coerced. APS steps in more forcefully when capacity is impaired, when a caregiver is actively causing harm, or when the adult wants help and needs assistance accessing it.
Reports About a Licensed Facility Are Handled Differently
The process above applies to reports about an adult living at home, with family, or with a private caregiver. If your concern is instead about conditions inside a licensed adult care home, family care home, or nursing home in the Triangle — understaffing, medication errors, unsafe conditions, or suspected abuse or neglect by facility staff — the more direct path is the NC Division of Health Service Regulation's (DHSR) Complaint Intake Unit at 1-800-624-3004 (or 919-855-4500), available weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding holidays.
DHSR licenses and inspects adult care homes and nursing homes under NC General Statutes Chapter 131D and has the authority to investigate, cite, and penalize a facility for regulatory violations — authority county APS does not have over a licensed facility. In practice, DHSR's Complaint Intake Unit often forwards facility-related reports to the relevant county DSS when the concern also touches on an individual resident's protective needs, so the two systems are connected even though they're organizationally separate. See our companion piece on the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program for a related but distinct avenue for resident advocacy inside a facility.
Reporting for Other Triangle Counties
Because APS is administered county by county, families with a loved one outside Wake County need to contact that specific county's DSS rather than Wake County's number. Durham County, Orange County (covering Chapel Hill and Carrboro), Johnston County (covering Clayton and Smithfield), Chatham County (covering Pittsboro), Franklin County (covering Louisburg), and Harnett County each maintain their own Adult Services intake line through their county DSS.
There is no single Triangle-wide or statewide APS hotline that covers all seven of these counties. If you're not sure which county a loved one's residence falls under, the county's own DSS website or a quick search for '[county name] DSS Adult Services' will get you to the correct intake number faster than guessing.
Confidentiality and Protection From Retaliation for Reporters
People who report suspected abuse or neglect to APS in good faith are generally protected from civil or criminal liability for making the report, even if an investigation ultimately does not substantiate the concern, and reporter identity is generally kept confidential during the process. This is meant to encourage people — neighbors, home health aides, bank tellers, and family members alike — to report genuine concerns without fear of legal exposure or being identified to the person they reported.
This protection is one reason not to hesitate out of uncertainty. If something looks wrong — unexplained bruising, a sudden change in a parent's finances, a caregiver who won't let family visit alone, a home that has become unsafe or unsanitary — it is appropriate to call Wake County APS at 919-212-7264 (or the relevant county's DSS) and let a trained caseworker make the determination, rather than trying to be certain of wrongdoing before you call.
Warning Signs Families and Neighbors Should Watch For
Financial exploitation is often harder to spot than physical abuse because it doesn't leave visible marks. Warning signs include sudden changes to a will or power of attorney, unexplained withdrawals or new authorized users on bank accounts, missing property or valuables, unpaid bills despite adequate income, or a new 'friend' or caregiver who becomes unusually controlling of an older adult's finances or access to family.
Neglect, whether by a caregiver or through an older adult's inability to care for themselves, often shows up as weight loss, poor hygiene, unsafe or unsanitary living conditions, untreated medical or dental issues, or a home without working utilities. None of these signs alone proves abuse or neglect is occurring, but any of them is enough reason to make a report and let Wake County APS assess the full picture.
