Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Prevention and Reporting
Under California law, persons required to report elder and dependent adult abuse include care custodians, health practitioners, clergy members, officers and employees of financial institutions, Adult Protective Services staff, and law enforcement agencies, among others.
Reporting and consultation in the County of Santa Clara
If you know someone who is in immediate danger, then please call 911.
- For abuse NOT occurring in an institutional facility, call Adult Protective Services or call your local law enforcement agency. Then mail or fax California reporting forms within two days.
California reporting forms
- Report of Suspected Dependent Adult/Elder Abuse – SOC 341
- Report of Suspected Dependent Adult/Elder Financial Abuse – SOC 342for use by financial institutions only.
- For abuse occurring in any licensed, long-term care facilities (including residential care for the elderly, adult residential, and skilled nursing facilities), refer to theElder Abuse – Guidelines for Professional Assessment and Reporting manualAs of January 1, 2013, some time periods for reporting physical abuse have been shortened and reporting agencies have changed.
Publications
These materials were developed by the Elder Abuse Task Force of Santa Clara County to address the difficult and often complex issues involved in known or suspected elder and dependent adult abuse.
- Elder Abuse – Guidelines for Professional Assessment and Reporting (April 2019)
- Elder Justice: Abuse Prevention and Reporting (2018)
- Have You Heard of Elder Abuse? (brochure)
About the Elder Abuse Task Force of the County of Santa Clara
The Elder Abuse Task Force of Santa Clara County was formed in 1981. Composed of professionals representing agencies serving older adults, this group is committed to the education, advocacy, and prevention of elder abuse.
Through its major advocacy efforts, the Elder Abuse Task Force has worked to establish mandatory reporting legislation and maintain county protective services. The Elder Abuse Task Force has focused on professional education and community awareness of elder abuse. The group has hosted and participated in training conferences featuring national experts on this issue. The Elder Abuse Task Force’s training manual, Elder Abuse – Guidelines for Professional Assessment and Reporting, and video, “The Silent Cry: Elder Abuse Assessment and Reporting”, have been distributed throughout the United States.
The Elder Abuse Task Force continues to meet on a monthly basis, working toward the prevention of elder abuse. For more information, please email the Elder Abuse Task Force at [email protected].
Additional contact information
Phone: (800) 414-2002