Adult Protective

Home Safe program funding and rules changes

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The Home Safe program provides housing services to Adult Protective Services (APS) clients. People are eligible for Home Safe if they 1) are an APS client or in the process of an APS intake, 2) are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness, and 3) they voluntarily agree to participate in the program.  Home Safe must prioritize persons who are most likely to fall into homelessness without assistance.

Homelessness and imminent risk of homelessness are: 1) lacking a fixed or regular nighttime address and either living in a shelter, hotel, or motel designed to provide temporary living accommodations, or living in a place not designed for, or ordinarily used for, human habitation; 2) Receiving a court judgment for eviction; 3) receiving a notice to pay rent or quit, or will imminently lose their housing; 4) in a living situation associated with a substantiated report of elder abuse, neglect or financial exploitation.

Home safe eligibility has been expanded to include 1) individuals who are in the APS intake process, 2) individuals who may be served through a tribal social services agency who appears to be eligible for APS, 3) persons who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence including persons who have not yet received an eviction notice, 4) persons who have a primary nighttime residence or living situation that poses an imminent health and safety risk and the individual lack resources to obtain other permanent housing.

Home Safe offers intensive case management, housing stabilization which includes legal assistance; eviction prevention, tenant education, credit repair, cleaning services, hazard removal, assistance with hoarding, and home repairs or modifications; housing navigation; and connection to long term support including referral to the local continuum of care

Home Safe must operate in accordance with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Housing First principles.  This means that individuals should be connected to housing or housing support without preconditions, services must be voluntary, client choice must be respected, and client cannot be rejected on the basis of income, past evictions, substance abuse, or any other behavior that might indicate a lack of housing readiness.

Homeless prevention can include eviction prevention, which can include short term or one-time financial payments, including payment of back rent, in addition to more substantial case management or other supportive services.

Home Safe should assist participants who are behind in rent with accessing ERAP funds before using Home Safe funds to pay back rent.  This is not requirement for Home Safe eligibility, but is a requirement to use ERAP funds before Home Safe funds for rental assistance.  (ACWDL, October 15, 2021.)

COVID-19 APS protocols

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Effective June 22, 2020, county Adult Protective Services (APS) will return to normal protocols for in-person visits and monthly welfare checks.  This includes a face-to-face investigation when an elder or dependent adult is in imminent danger, 10-day in-person response to protect the individual’s health and safety, and in-person monitoring visits every 30 days unless a written visitation plan justifies otherwise.  Counties must respond in-person to immediate threats such a physical or sexual abuse.

Social workers may ask clients or family members to wear a mask during the visit but cannot require it.  Social workers must have protective equipment before going on the in-person visit.  Protective equipment should be available from the county Office of Emergency Services.

Counties may continue to conduct investigations and monthly monitoring visits by telephone or videoconference under certain circumstances including: following city or county public health direction, the individual subject to the report refuses in-person entry, someone in the household has been exposed to COVID-19 or is experiencing symptoms, or an in-person respond was done and the county determines that additional monthly monitoring visits can be safely done by telephone or videoconference.  (ACL 20-66, June 11, 2020.)

COVID-19 CBAS services

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The California Department of Aging has issued guidance about changes to Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS) because of COVID-19.  CBAS centers have temporary flexibility to reduce day center activities and to provide services in the home, telephonically or by videoconference, including professional nursing care, personal care services, behavioral health services and therapeutic activities.  CBAS center may provide physical therapy and occupational therapy at the beneficiary’s home.

CBAS centers can provide for home-delivered meals in the absence of meals provided at CBAS centers, and may continue to provide transportation services.

Centers can provide individual in-center services such as individual meetings to receive services, indivuduals comont to the center to pick up supplies, meals, receive wound care assistance or receive assistance with a shower.  Participants assembling and receiving services in groups of more than one or being served in the same space at the same time is prohibited.  (All Center Letter 20-06, March 27, 2020.)

COVID-19 APS investigation and visits

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The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued information about modifying Adult Protective Services investigations and monitoring visits because of COVID-19.  Face-to-face investigations continue to be required when an elder or dependent adult is imminent danger or immediate or 10-day in-person response is necessary to protect the individual’s health or safety.  Counties may collect and review information by phone prior to a home visit.

30-day in person monitoring visits remain mandatory unless the written visitation plan justifies why it is not necessary to visit the client once every 30 days and it is approved by a supervisor.  The mandatory visits can only be substituted by telephone calls with supervisor approval.  (Program Manager Letter, March 13, 2020.)

ACIN I-38-14: California Department Of Social Services – County Collaboration On SOC 242 (7/18/14)

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Highlighting “the momentous collaborative effort” (that started 5 years ago!) between DSS and the County Adult Protective Services (APS) program staff to revise the SOC 242 form, which will collect statistical information related to statewide APS data.  A training module was also developed for working with the new form.  [Download]