• SSBG Focus Reports 2004


• Adult Protective Services
• Child Day Care
• Child Protective Services
• Child Welfare Services


• Services for Adults and Children With Disabilities
• Services for Older Adults

The Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) program disburses funds to States to support social services for adults and children. This report is one in a series of focus reports describing SSBG expenditures and recipients for specific service categories, populations, and clusters of services, based on data published in the SSBG Annual Report 2004.[1]

Adult Protective Services

The Senate Special Committee on Aging has estimated that up to 5 million adults each year are victims of neglect, exploitation, or other abuse. Other studies indicate that up to 6 percent of the population of older adults has experienced some type of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Further, over a 10-year period, reports of such abuse have increased each year. There is no uniform reporting system to document the numbers of older Americans who experience abuse, so the number of these individuals can only be estimated. [2] The SSBG is a critical source of Federal funds for agencies that provide adult protective services. Thirty-four States reported using the SSBG to fund adult protective services, which was the ninth largest of the 29 service expenditure categories in 2004.

The SSBG provides funds to States, in proportion to their population, to assist with the provision of social services. States have substantial discretion in the use of SSBG funds and may determine what services are provided and who is eligible to receive them. In addition, a State may transfer up to 10 percent of its annual Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant allocation into its SSBG program. States report on SSBG expenditures and recipients annually in a postexpenditure report. The term SSBG expenditures refers to the expenditures of the SSBG allocation combinedwith funds transferred from TANF into SSBG.

In each of the 50 States and the District of Columbia, adult protective services are mandated for adult victims of abuse. The eligible recipients of these services vary by jurisdiction. In most States, services are provided to any vulnerable adult, while in other States services are provided only to individuals age 60 years and older or to younger individuals with disabilities. The components of adult protective services also vary by jurisdiction, but typically includethe following:

• Investigation;
• Immediate intervention;
• Emergency medical services and shelter;
• Case management and referral to service providers;
• Initiation of legal action;
• Counseling for the individual and the family;
• Assessment and evaluation of family circumstances;
• Alternative or improved living arrangements; and
• Assistance with obtaining such benefits as Medicare, Medicaid, or private health insurance.

Adult protective services are funded primarily through the Older Americans Act and the SSBG. The Older Americans Act primarily supports prevention services, while the SSBG may support services directed toward remedying abuse and neglect within this population.

Highlights of SSBG's role in funding adult protective services are listed below.

• In 34 States, approximately 462,000 adults received protective services that were funded in whole or in part with the SSBG during 2004. In states that were able to provide age data for adults, 52 percent of recipients were age 60 years and older.
• During 2004, States spent approximately $134 million on adult protective services, which was 5 percent of all SSBG expenditures. Approximately 16 percent of the $134 million was transferred into SSBG from TANF.
• Seven States reported 10 percent or more of their SSBG expenditures for adult protective services during 2004, and one State--New Mexico--spent 38 percent.
• Of the States with the largest SSBG expenditures for adult protective services, one State--New York--reported spending more than $40 million on adult protective services during 2004.

Table 1 details the expenditures data, and table 2 details the recipient datafor adult protective services.