Call 911 immediately if a senior is in immediate danger. Adult Protective Services and the DHSR facility complaint line are important resources for investigating and addressing abuse, neglect, or facility conditions, but they are not emergency response services and should not be used in place of 911 when someone's safety is at risk right now.
What to do next
It's worth being explicit about this distinction because families under stress sometimes default to calling a DSS or facility complaint line first, not realizing those offices generally operate only during weekday business hours and are not designed or staffed to respond to an active emergency. County Adult Protective Services offices and the NC DHSR complaint line play a critical role in investigating patterns of abuse, neglect, or exploitation and in addressing regulatory violations at licensed facilities, but neither is built to dispatch immediate help to a dangerous situation happening right now, whether that's a fall, an assault, a medical crisis, or a caregiver in immediate crisis. After calling 911 and ensuring immediate safety, families can then follow up with the appropriate county DSS Adult Protective Services office or, if the concern involves a licensed facility, the DHSR complaint line, to address the underlying situation and prevent it from happening again.
Related questions
- How do I report suspected elder abuse or neglect in Wake County?
- Is there one statewide Adult Protective Services hotline for North Carolina, or does it vary by county?
- What is the phone number for Adult Protective Services in Durham County?
- What's the difference between calling Adult Protective Services and calling the state facility complaint line?
- What number do I call to report problems with conditions inside a licensed nursing home or adult care home in North Carolina?
- What are common signs of financial exploitation of a senior that families in the Triangle should watch for?
- Does Adult Protective Services get involved if my mother is being neglected by a family caregiver at home, not in a facility?
