APS Guiding Principles

Adult Protective Services has guiding principles by which they function. They are:

• APS serves the adult client – not the person or agency that makes the report of harm, not the community concerned about safety, the landlord concerned about property, citizens concerned about crime or morality, or families concerned about their health or finances.
• The adult client is in charge of decision-making until she or he voluntarily delegates responsibility to another or the court grants responsibility to another.
• Freedom is more important than safety. The person can choose to live in harm or even self-destructively provided she or he has the capacity to choose, does not harm others, and commits no crime.
• In the ideal case, APS seeks to achieve simultaneously, and in order of importance: freedom, safety, least disruption of lifestyle and least restrictive care alternative. APS does not want to interfere with an adult’s lifestyle and choices and the least restrictive options will be offered and exercised.

APS is to evaluate and balance the needs of the vulnerable adult with the person’s capacity. We all have a right to make bad choices and APS is also there to advocate for that right. There are limits in which this can occur.