Vulnerable Adult Investigation and Protection

Des Moines Valley Health and Human Services (DVHHS) receives and screens reports of maltreatment received through the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC). DVHHS Adult Protection Screening Guidelines

Services include investigation, as well as protective services and referrals to eligible programs.

A vulnerable adult is someone who:

• Is 18 years of age or older, AND
• Is dependent on institutional services (nursing home, hospital, home health, licensed residential facilities such as a group home or foster care,) OR
• Has a physical, mental, or emotional infirmity or dysfunction that requires help in caring for and protecting themselves.

Maltreatment is:  

• Abuse:  Physical or Emotional: conduct, intended or not, that produces physical or emotional pain or injury
• Verbal:  Words or gestures that threaten, harass, disparage, or humiliate
• Sexual:  Violation of criminal sexual conduct or prostitution statutes, or sexual   contact between a facility staff person and a resident or client of that facility
• Personal Exploitation:  Forcing a vulnerable adult to perform services for the advantage of another

• Neglect:  Failure of a caregiver to provide necessary food, clothing, shelter, health care or supervision
• Self Neglect: Absence of necessary food, clothing, shelter, health care, or supervision
• Financial Exploitation:  A person with legal authority makes unauthorized use of the vulnerable adult’s resources, resulting in a detriment to the vulnerable adult.   A person without authority uses the financial resources of a vulnerable adult, regardless of detriment.

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