Utah Adult Protective Services: How to Report Abuse

Call 1-800-371-7897 Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or file a non-emergency report on the online intake form any time. Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger. Utah Adult Protective Services (APS), administered by the Division of Aging and Adult Services within the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, investigates reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

Utah Code 26B-6-201 defines a vulnerable adult as an elder adult age 65 or older, or a dependent adult age 18 or older whose mental or physical impairment substantially affects the abilities the statute lists. Utah Code 26B-6-205 requires any individual with reason to believe that a vulnerable adult is, or has been, the subject of abuse, neglect, or exploitation to report immediately to Adult Protective Services or the nearest peace officer or law enforcement agency.

How to Report Elder Abuse in Utah

The division’s Adult Protective Services page lists two public reporting paths:

• Call 1-800-371-7897, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Use Report Abuse Online, which the division says is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call 911 for a life-threatening emergency. A July 2024 division handout also lists email and fax.

Report by Phone

Call 1-800-371-7897 to reach Utah APS intake, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Intake staff collect information about the person you are concerned about and the circumstances of the suspected abuse.

An individual who in good faith makes a report, or who otherwise notifies Adult Protective Services or law enforcement, is immune from civil and criminal liability in connection with that report under Utah Code 26B-6-205(7)(a).

Report Online

Utah APS has a public online intake form. The Adult Protective Services page labels the button Report Abuse Online and says reports can be filed online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The form’s first screen asks the reporter to confirm that the report does not require an emergency response before it continues. Use 911 for an emergency.

A July 2024 division handout for law enforcement also lists email at APSIntake@utah.gov and fax at 1-801-715-3428. The public reporting page checked on September 28, 2026 directs people to the phone line and the online form. That page does not describe email or fax as a 24-hour path.

Emergency Situations

If an elder or dependent adult is in immediate danger — facing physical violence, a medical emergency, or another life-threatening situation — call 911 first. Do not wait until business hours to report an emergency. Utah Code 26B-6-205(1) also allows an immediate report to the nearest peace officer or law enforcement agency. The online form is for a report that does not need an emergency response.

What Information Should You Have Ready Before You Call?

Utah Admin. Code R510-302 says Adult Protective Services does not investigate a referral when there is not enough information to locate the adult, and reasonable attempts to gather that information fail. Having the following information available when contacting Utah APS helps intake staff locate the adult and understand the report:

• Full name, age, and current address of the vulnerable adult
• A description of the suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation — specific incidents, dates, and locations
• The name and relationship of the alleged abuser (if known)
• Information about the person’s physical or mental health conditions, impairments, or limitations
• Names of other witnesses, family members, or care providers with relevant information
• Your own contact information, if you are willing to give it. The public reporting page and Rule R510-302 do not say a report can be filed without a name.

Utah Code 26B-6-205 requires a report when an individual has reason to believe a vulnerable adult is, or has been, the subject of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Reasonable belief is sufficient. Proof is not the reporting standard.

What Types of Elder Abuse Does APS Investigate in Utah?

Under Utah Code 26B-6-201, Utah APS investigates abuse, neglect, and exploitation of a vulnerable adult. The definitions below are the plain-language categories families use. The legal definitions are in that section.

• Physical abuse — Intentional infliction of physical pain, injury, or bodily harm
• Emotional or psychological abuse — Verbal threats, intimidation, humiliation, or conduct causing mental anguish
• Sexual abuse — Non-consensual sexual contact or exploitation
• Financial exploitation — Misappropriation or improper use of a vulnerable adult’s money, property, or resources
• Neglect — Failure by a caregiver or caretaker to provide essential food, shelter, clothing, or medical care
• Caretaker neglect — Specific failure of a designated caretaker to meet an adult’s essential needs
• Abandonment — Desertion by a person who has assumed responsibility for providing care
• Self-neglect — Failure of a vulnerable adult to provide for their own essential needs when they are unable to do so. Utah Code 26B-6-201 says that failure must result from the adult’s mental or physical impairment. A choice of lifestyle or living arrangements is not, by itself, evidence of self-neglect.

What Are the Warning Signs of Elder Abuse?

Abuse and neglect are frequently hidden. The following warning signs may indicate that a vulnerable adult is being mistreated.

Physical Signs

• Unexplained bruises, burns, cuts, or injuries — especially at different stages of healing
• Evidence of improper restraint — marks on the wrists, ankles, or other areas
• Bedsores or pressure ulcers suggesting prolonged immobility or inadequate care
• Weight loss, dehydration, or malnutrition without a medical explanation

Behavioral Signs

• Withdrawal from activities, friends, or family members
• Fearfulness, agitation, or anxiety around a specific caregiver
• Sudden depression, confusion, or behavioral changes inconsistent with the person’s medical baseline
• Reluctance to speak when a caregiver or family member is nearby

Financial Signs

• Unexplained bank withdrawals, new credit accounts, or changes to account access
• Missing personal property, jewelry, or valuables
• Unpaid bills or utility shutoffs despite having adequate financial resources
• Sudden changes to a will, trust, power of attorney, or beneficiary designations

Who Can (and Must) Report Abuse in Utah?

Utah has universal mandatory reporting. Under Utah Code 26B-6-205(1), any individual who has reason to believe that a vulnerable adult is, or has been, the subject of abuse, neglect, or exploitation must immediately report to Adult Protective Services or the nearest peace officer or law enforcement agency. The duty is on any individual. It is not limited to health care professionals or to Utah residents.

Utah Code 26B-6-205(4) and (5) create narrow exceptions:

• A member of the clergy does not have to report a confession the perpetrator made directly to that clergy member, in a ministerial role, when canon law or church doctrine requires the confession to stay confidential. Information from any other source still has to be reported.
• An attorney, and a person employed by the attorney, does not have to report knowledge that comes from representing a client, except where Utah Rule of Professional Conduct 1.6 permits disclosure to prevent reasonably certain death or substantial bodily harm.

Penalties and Immunity

Willful failure to report is a class B misdemeanor under Utah Code 26B-6-205(9)(a). A prosecution must start within two years after the day the person knew of the suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation and willfully failed to report. Before charging that offense, the prosecutor takes into account whether a reasonable individual would not have reported because reporting would have placed that individual in immediate danger of death or serious bodily injury.

A covered provider or covered contractor, as defined in Utah Code 26B-2-238, that knowingly fails to report is subject to a private right of action under Utah Code 26B-6-205(7)(b). A person who reports in good faith is immune from civil and criminal liability under Utah Code 26B-6-205(7)(a).

What Happens After You Report to APS in Utah?

Utah APS screens the referral, investigates when the rule allows, and, where appropriate, offers short-term limited protective services with the permission of the adult or a guardian or conservator. Source: Utah Code 26B-6-202.

Step 1 — Intake Screening

APS intake staff review the report to determine whether the person meets the definition of a vulnerable adult under Utah Code 26B-6-201 and whether the reported conduct is something Adult Protective Services investigates. Utah Admin. Code R510-302-6 says a referral may come in any format from any person. The rule also lists referrals the agency does not investigate, including:

• a report with no current allegation
• a report that only predicts future harm
• an alleged financial scam or consumer fraud
• a report that does not include enough information to locate the adult

Step 2 — Starting the investigation

The current text of Utah Admin. Code R510-302, effective February 22, 2024, does not set a numeric deadline for starting an investigation. The investigator determines whether an emergency exists and makes a face-to-face visit, with the exceptions the rule lists for a declared public-health or natural-disaster emergency.

Step 3 — Investigation

The investigator determines:

• the allegation
• whether the person is a vulnerable adult
• capacity to consent
• whether a guardian or conservator has been appointed
• whether an emergency exists
• the impairment

The investigator makes a face-to-face visit, with the exceptions in Utah Admin. Code R510-302-7. The investigator may not enter the home without consent of the adult, a legal guardian, or a caretaker, except when exigent circumstances exist to protect the adult from imminent harm and the alleged perpetrator is the guardian or caretaker.

If the report indicates a crime may have occurred, Utah Code 26B-6-205(3) requires Adult Protective Services to notify the nearest local law enforcement agency, and that agency shall investigate in cooperation with APS.

Step 4 — Service Plan and Outcome

The investigator decides whether each allegation is supported, inconclusive, or without merit. Those findings are defined in Utah Code 26B-6-201. A supported finding means there is a reasonable basis to conclude that abuse, neglect, or exploitation occurred. It is an administrative finding, not a criminal conviction.

Where appropriate, Adult Protective Services provides short-term, limited protective services with the permission of the adult or the guardian or conservator. Services are voluntary unless a court orders them. Utah Code 26B-6-214. If the adult, a guardian or conservator, or the court withdraws consent, services, including any investigation, shall cease.

A court may still order emergency protective services under Utah Code 26B-6-217. Services in that order may include hospitalization, nursing, custodial care, or a change in residence. The order expires five business days after the day the court issues it, unless a temporary-guardianship petition under Utah Code 75-5-310 or a new emergency petition is filed in that window. The court may extend the original order 15 business days after the later petition is filed, and may authorize a peace officer to enter the premises by force.

APS vs. Long-Term Care Ombudsman — Who Handles Nursing Home Abuse in Utah?

When a referral involves a long-term care facility, Utah Admin. Code R510-302-6(4)(a) requires Adult Protective Services to notify the Department of Health and Human Services and the local Long-term Care Ombudsman. The Utah Long-Term Care Ombudsman advocates for residents. The ombudsman does not license facilities.

The ombudsman page says an investigation of a complaint that a resident’s personal rights are being violated starts within 5 business days, and it lists 1-801-538-3910.

A licensing complaint is a separate path. The Utah nursing home complaint guide explains how to file one. Assisted living complaints are covered on the Utah assisted living complaint page.

Additional Resources in Utah

• Utah APS Phone: 1-800-371-7897 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
• Utah APS online intake form (24/7 for a report that is not an emergency)
• Utah APS Email: APSIntake@utah.gov (listed in the July 2024 handout)
• Utah APS Fax: 1-801-715-3428 (listed in the July 2024 handout)
• Utah Long-Term Care Ombudsman: 1-801-538-3910
• Division of Aging and Adult Services
• National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311)
• Eldercare Locator (national): 1-800-677-1116
• National Center on Elder Abuse

For concerns involving a licensed nursing home in Utah, the Utah nursing home complaint guide explains the complaint path and the state licensing role. The form on this page is a request to speak with a lawyer. It is not sent to Adult Protective Services.