Self-Neglect Growing Area of Common Adult Maltreatment

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Jodi Boyne

Nearly 40 percent of reports of maltreatment of older adults and people with disabilities nationwide are for self-neglect, according to a new report from the Administration for Community Living (ACL). 

ACL developed the National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS) to collect data from state and local Adult Protective Services systems for older adults and people with disabilities. The report provides ACL a better understanding of the characteristics of those experiencing and perpetrating abuse and identify system gaps for responding to maltreatment and preventing repeat maltreatment. 

Fifty-five of 56 states and territories contributed data to NAMRS in fiscal year 2017. Data collected includes APS staff and caseload, response and response time, intake and investigation practices, maltreatment type, victim characteristics, and perpetrator characteristics. There are three components of the report: 

• Report 1: Agency Component: This report provides highlights of APS agency profile information and investigation data, including statutes, policies and procedures; investigative practices; data systems; intake processes; staffing; training; and client assessments.
• Report 2: Key Indicators Component: This report consists of aggregated data on key statistics of investigations and victims, clients, and perpetrators provided by states that are unable to provide case-level data.
• Report 3: Case Component: This report consists of case-level data on investigations, client, maltreatment allegations, perpetrator, and client-perpetrator relationship. 

Keys Findings in the report include:

• 817,325 cases accepted for investigation and assessment for intervention
• 965,383 cases were not accepted for investigation and received Information, assistance, and referral only
• The average response time was 4.5 days
• The average completion time was 47.4 days
• 73.4 percent of the victims reported were 60 and over
• 60.8 percent of the victims had one or more disabilities
• 39.9 percent reported self-neglect as a common maltreatment