Adult Protective Services Arkansas: How to Report Elder Abuse and What Happens Next

Your parent's caregiver left bruises they can't explain. The assisted living facility smells like neglect. Or maybe your parent with dementia is living alone and refusing help while the house falls apart around them. These are the moments when Arkansas Adult Protective Services becomes relevant — and when most families have no idea how the process actually works.

Arkansas Adult Protective Services (APS) operates under the Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services (DAABHS). Their mandate covers abuse, neglect, and exploitation of adults aged 18 and older who are endangered and unable to protect themselves.

What APS Investigates

Arkansas APS handles five categories of maltreatment:

• Physical abuse — hitting, pushing, restraining, or any use of force causing injury
• Emotional abuse — intimidation, threats, isolation, or verbal attacks
• Sexual abuse — any non-consensual sexual contact
• Exploitation — unauthorized use of an adult's funds, property, or resources (the most common type reported for dementia patients, who are especially vulnerable to financial manipulation)
• Neglect — failure to provide food, shelter, medical care, or supervision (including self-neglect by an adult living alone with cognitive decline)

For families navigating dementia care, self-neglect reports are particularly relevant. When a parent with Alzheimer's refuses outside help but can no longer safely manage medications, nutrition, or personal hygiene, APS can assess whether intervention is necessary.

How to File a Report

Arkansas APS Hotline: 1-800-482-8049 (available 24/7)

You can also file online through the DHS website. When you call, have these details ready:

• The adult's full name, age, and address
• Nature of the suspected abuse or neglect
• Names of any suspected perpetrators
• Whether the adult has a diagnosed cognitive condition
• Any immediate safety concerns (wandering, no food in the house, untreated medical issues)

Arkansas law protects reporters. Your identity stays confidential, and you're immune from civil liability for good-faith reports. You don't need proof — reasonable suspicion is enough.

Mandatory reporters in Arkansas include healthcare workers, law enforcement, clergy, and long-term care facility employees. They face criminal penalties for failing to report suspected maltreatment. But anyone — family members, neighbors, friends — can and should report concerns.

What Happens After You Report

APS assigns a caseworker who must initiate an investigation within 72 hours of receiving the report (24 hours for emergencies). The investigation typically involves:

1. An unannounced visit to the adult's residence or facility
2. Interviews with the adult, alleged perpetrator, and witnesses
3. Review of medical records and living conditions
4. Assessment of the adult's cognitive capacity and vulnerability

If the investigation substantiates maltreatment, the caseworker develops a protective service plan. This can include connecting the family with home-based services, recommending legal action, or coordinating with law enforcement for criminal referrals.

For dementia patients specifically, APS may recommend an Arkansas Independent Assessment (ARIA) to determine whether the adult qualifies for Medicaid waiver services like ARChoices in Homecare — which provides supervised personal care that can reduce isolation and risk.

When APS Isn't the Right Call

APS handles maltreatment cases, not care planning disagreements between family members. If you need help navigating Medicaid eligibility, establishing legal authority through a power of attorney, or choosing between memory care facilities, those fall outside the APS scope.

The Arkansas Dementia & Memory Care Guide covers the full care planning process — from establishing legal authority before cognitive capacity closes that window, to navigating Medicaid's strict income cap and Miller Trust requirements, to evaluating licensed memory care facilities.

Key Contacts Beyond APS

• Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program: Advocates for residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities — call if you suspect facility-level neglect rather than individual abuse
• Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs): Connect families with local respite care, caregiver support, and benefits counseling
• Choices in Living Resource Center: 1-866-801-3435 — the statewide information line for long-term care options

If your parent with dementia is in a dangerous situation, don't wait for the perfect report. Call the APS hotline, describe what you've observed, and let the caseworker determine whether it meets the threshold for investigation.

See more Arkansas guides →