By Michael Shemtoub, trial attorney, Beverly Law. Updated November 2026.
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Who APS serves in each state
| State | Who qualifies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| California | Elders 60 and older, and dependent adults 18 to 59 who are disabled, when they cannot meet their own needs or have been abused, neglected or exploited | CDSS |
| Texas | People 65 or older and adults with disabilities. A person with a disability means an adult whose mental, physical, or intellectual or developmental disability substantially impairs their ability to provide for their own care or protection. | APS Handbook 2000, Human Resources Code 48.002 |
| Washington | “Vulnerable adults,” which includes people 60 or older who have a functional, mental or physical inability to care for themselves, adults under guardianship or conservatorship, adults with a developmental disability, people admitted to any facility, and people receiving home health, hospice or home care services | RCW 74.34.020 |
What the report has to describe
The reporting laws turn on suspicion. California’s mandated reporters must report abuse they observe, know of or reasonably suspect (15630(b)(1)). Texas uses “cause to believe” (Human Resources Code 48.051), and Washington uses “reasonable cause to believe” (RCW 74.34.035). The report then has to describe a type of harm the program covers.
- California: the mandated reporting law lists physical abuse, abandonment, abduction, isolation, financial abuse and neglect, and it also counts a statement by the elder or dependent adult that it happened (Welf. & Inst. Code 15630(b)(1)).
- Texas: Statewide Intake takes reports of abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of people 65 or older and adults with disabilities (APS Handbook 2000).
- Washington: APS takes reports of abuse, abandonment, neglect, self-neglect and financial exploitation of vulnerable adults (DSHS).
Money problems count. A relative who drains an account, misuses a power of attorney, or keeps a parent’s benefits for themselves can be the subject of an APS report. Our page on nursing homes and Social Security checks covers what a facility may lawfully collect.
Where it happened changes who investigates
This is the part families most often miss. In California and Texas, abuse inside a licensed facility is usually sent to another agency, and Washington routes facility complaints to a separate unit.
| State | Rule for long-term care facilities | Source |
|---|---|---|
| California | For reports involving a person in a long-term care facility or a residential care facility, the county reports to the local long-term care ombudsman program, and APS staff support the ombudsman’s efforts | Welf. & Inst. Code 15763(b)(1) |
| Texas | APS refers allegations that occurred in a facility regulated by HHSC Long-Term Care Regulatory Services to HHSC. APS does investigate a resident’s case when the abuse happened outside the facility, the facility was not responsible for supervision at the time, and the person accused is a family member or other person not affiliated with the facility. | APS Handbook 4200, 4210 |
| Texas | Abuse in nursing facilities and assisted living facilities licensed under Health and Safety Code chapters 242 and 247 falls under Health and Safety Code chapter 260A | Human Resources Code 48.003 |
| Washington | APS takes reports about adults in the community and in facilities, but DSHS directs concerns about residents of nursing homes, adult family homes and assisted living facilities to its Complaint Resolution Unit | DSHS |
Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou.
The phone numbers for each of these agencies are on our page about how to report nursing home abuse. California’s statewide APS line is 1-833-401-0832, which connects you to your county’s APS after you enter your ZIP code, 24 hours a day (CDSS).
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How fast APS responds
| State | Response rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| California | Each county must run an emergency response program that can respond in person 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The county must respond immediately to a report of imminent danger outside a care facility, and to other reports within 10 calendar days or as soon as practicably possible. A county that determines and documents, based on a risk evaluation, that the person is not in imminent danger and that an in-person response is not needed to protect the person’s health or safety may skip the in-person visit. | Welf. & Inst. Code 15763(a), (b) |
| Texas | First face-to-face contact within 24 hours for Priority I (serious harm or danger of death), three calendar days for Priority II, seven calendar days for Priority III, and 14 calendar days for Priority IV, which is used only for some financial exploitation reports | APS Handbook 2100 |
| Washington | DSHS must begin its response no later than 24 hours after knowledge of the report, and it must immediately notify law enforcement when the report or investigation suggests a crime | RCW 74.34.063 |
Is the person who reports kept confidential?
Each state protects the reporter’s identity.
- California: APS reports are confidential and may be disclosed only as the statute allows, and the reporter’s identity may be shared only with the persons or agencies listed in section 15633.5. Unauthorized disclosure is a misdemeanor (Welf. & Inst. Code 15633).
- Texas: the identity of the person making the report is confidential, and released records must be edited to protect it (Human Resources Code 48.101).
- Washington: the identity of the person making the report is confidential and not subject to disclosure except as the statute provides (RCW 74.34.095).
What this means for your case
An APS case is a protective step, and the agency’s job is the person’s safety. It does not award money. If a parent was harmed in a nursing home, the facility’s licensing agency and the ombudsman are usually the right first calls, and a civil claim is a separate decision. Save the date of your report and any case number, because those records can matter later. Our California nursing home records page shows what state inspectors have already found at facilities, and our nursing home abuse section explains how the firm reviews claims.
Common questions
Can APS investigate abuse in a nursing home?
Usually another agency does. California sends facility reports to the long-term care ombudsman, Texas refers them to HHSC, and Washington directs them to its Complaint Resolution Unit.
Does APS need proof before it opens a case?
No. The reporting laws use suspicion standards: “reasonably suspects” in California, “cause to believe” in Texas and “reasonable cause to believe” in Washington.
How old does someone have to be for APS?
California serves elders 60 and older and dependent adults 18 to 59, Texas serves people 65 or older and adults with disabilities, and Washington covers vulnerable adults, including people 60 or older who cannot care for themselves.
Will the family member I reported find out it was me?
All three states make the reporter’s identity confidential, with limited exceptions set by statute.
Can APS open a case about money alone?
Yes. Financial abuse or exploitation is one of the harms APS handles in all three states. Beverly Law offers a free case review in English or Spanish at (310) 552-6959. You owe no fees or costs unless we win. Find more answers in our injury law FAQs.
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Related pages
Sources
- CDSS, Adult Protective Services, Report Abuse (cdss.ca.gov)
- Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code 15630 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
- Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code 15763 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
- Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code 15633 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov)
- Texas DFPS, APS Handbook section 2000 (intake and priorities) (dfps.texas.gov)
- Texas DFPS, APS Handbook section 4000 (referrals to other agencies) (dfps.texas.gov)
- Tex. Human Resources Code ch. 48 (48.002, 48.003, 48.051, 48.101) (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
- Washington DSHS, Adult Protective Services (dshs.wa.gov)
- RCW 74.34.020 (app.leg.wa.gov)
- RCW 74.34.035 (app.leg.wa.gov)
- RCW 74.34.063 (app.leg.wa.gov)
- RCW 74.34.095 (app.leg.wa.gov)
Important: This page is general information, not legal or medical advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. Last reviewed: November 7, 2026.