> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://justabouts.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Washington adult-protection audit finds delays: how to report a concern - URL: https://justabouts.com/washington-adult-protective-services-audit-report-concern/ - Published: 2026-11-09T19:06:17.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-10T18:14:14.000Z - Description: Where Snohomish and Island County families can report suspected abuse or neglect, what information helps, and how to find local support. - Author: Justabouts - Tags: Snohomish County, Camano Island, Help & Resources, Local news, All communities A state audit found that Washington’s Department of Social and Health Services missed its initial-response deadline for thousands of reports concerning vulnerable adults. For local families worried about a parent, neighbor or another adult, the findings also raise a practical question: where should you turn when something seems wrong? The [State Auditor’s accountability report](https://portal.sao.wa.gov/ReportSearch/Home/ViewReportFile?arn=1040413&isFinding=false&sp=false&ref=justabouts.com), published Sept. 24, reviewed July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025\. Auditors found that DSHS did not begin a response within 24 hours for 4,168 of 56,783 Adult Protective Services reports, about 7%. Those late responses averaged five working days beyond the deadline. The audit also found late safety- and risk-screening records. DSHS partly agreed with the finding and disputed the auditor’s conclusion about inadequate internal controls. It cited staffing shortages and workload, said safety checks generally occurred during initial visits while documentation lagged, and reported revising its documentation policy in July 2026\. The auditor plans to review corrective action in its next audit. These are statewide findings. The report does not provide a Snohomish or Island County breakdown or establish current local response times. ## Where to report a concern **If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.** Adult Protective Services is not an emergency-response service. For suspected abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, abandonment or self-neglect involving a vulnerable adult, [DSHS lists these reporting options](https://www.dshs.wa.gov/ReportAdultAbuse?ref=justabouts.com): - **Adult Protective Services:** call [1-877-734-6277](tel:18777346277) or use the online form linked from DSHS’s reporting page. Reports can be made day or night. - **Concerns about a licensed long-term care setting or supported living services:** use the Residential Care Services form on that page or call the Complaint Resolution Unit at [1-800-562-6078](tel:18005626078). DSHS lists nursing homes, adult family homes and assisted living facilities among the settings covered. You do not need proof before reporting a concern, and DSHS says you can report without giving your name. Share what you know. The agency screens reports to determine the appropriate response. ## Who these protections cover Washington’s [legal definition of a vulnerable adult](https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=74.34.020&ref=justabouts.com) includes people 60 or older who cannot care for themselves because of functional, mental or physical limitations. It also includes specified adults with developmental disabilities, adults under guardianship or conservatorship, residents of covered facilities, and people receiving certain home-care or personal-care services. If you are unsure whether the situation qualifies, describe it to DSHS. You do not have to decide the legal category yourself before raising a concern. ## What information helps [DSHS asks for the person’s name and location, what you observed, any relevant history, and the identity of the person involved if known.](https://www.dshs.wa.gov/adult-and-aging-services/report-abuse-and-neglect/adult-protective-services?ref=justabouts.com) Explain the concern as specifically as you can, including when it happened. Missing details should not keep you from reporting what you do know. Warning signs listed by DSHS include unexplained financial changes, unpaid bills, missing food or medication, suspicious injuries and sudden changes in behavior. A concern is a reason to seek help; the reporting agency investigates the details. ## What happens after a report [State law requires DSHS to initiate a response within 24 hours of learning of a report.](https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=74.34.063&ref=justabouts.com) Beginning a response can include screening, a referral, contacting someone for information or assigning an investigator. The initial response and an in-person interview are separate steps. APS may interview people, review records and work with other agencies. It cannot act as an emergency responder or force an adult to accept services. If the situation becomes an emergency, call 911. ## Local help with care and everyday needs Families may also need help arranging meals, transportation, in-home support or a break for a caregiver. **Snohomish County:** [Homage’s Aging and Disability Resource Network](https://homage.org/aging-and-disability-resource-network/?ref=justabouts.com) offers information and assistance at [425-513-1900](tel:14255131900) or [1-800-422-2024](tel:18004222024). Its services are available to county residents 55 and older, adults with disabilities 18 and older, and caregivers and family members seeking resources. **Island County, including Camano:** [Island Senior Resources](https://senior-resources.org/services-resources/?ref=justabouts.com) provides information, options counseling and caregiver support. Call [360-321-1600](tel:13603211600) to ask about available assistance. These organizations can help you navigate support services. Use the DSHS reporting channels above for suspected abuse or neglect, and 911 for immediate danger. --- *Sources: Washington State Auditor’s Office, accountability audit 1040413, findings and agency response, pages 12–19; Washington DSHS reporting and Adult Protective Services guidance; RCW 74.34.020 and 74.34.063; Homage; and Island Senior Resources. Justabouts independently reviewed the audit and official reporting information.*