Adult protection: policies and procedure

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 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.

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

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

APS Foundations – APS Foundations provides a basic introduction to the adult protection system in Minnesota for new APS workers and supervisors, or APS workers and supervisors 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 the Adult Protection Service Cycle and Time Frames, from intake to case closure.

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. 

APS  Foundations is offered online over two days in the same week, typically Tuesday and Thursday, from 9:00am - 2:30pm each day. Attendees will need to complete both days to receive a certificate of completion.

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.

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

Other training

• COMING SOON: National Adult Protection Training Center (NATC) is scheduled to launch in September, 2022. The NATC will establish a library of free asynchronous e-learnings for APS professionals. 
• APS Technical Assistance Resource Center (TARC) provides a variety of educational opportunities for APS professionals including webinars, briefs, and toolkits that align with APS Core Competencies in national standards (PDF). APS TARC offerings address a wide variety of topics including APS supervision, frauds and scams, interviews with experts, APS investigation, impacts of COVID-19 on APS, and more. Keep up to date with APS TARC offerings by joining their mailing list.
• The National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) Certificate Program offers 23 core competencies identified by NAPSA as basics important to (or necessary for) the practice of Adult Protective Services.
• Adult Protection Investigation Determinations Video Conference (9/12/19). This 1 hour 11 minute recorded video conference, featuring DHS Adult Protection Resource Specialists Kelli Klein and Angelo Flowers, explores how the adult protection investigation determination helps support justice for vulnerable adults who have experienced maltreatment and also hold accountable those responsible for maltreatment.