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Warren County officials hear adult protective services briefing highlighting rising financial exploitation
Summary
County adult services staff told supervisors that fiscal year 2024 brought 431 APS reports, 140 investigations and a rise in financial exploitation. Staff described services, Medicaid waiver options, guardianship work and the voluntary nature of APS interventions.
A Warren County Board of Supervisors work session on Nov. 12 opened with a presentation from the county’s adult services and Adult Protective Services (APS) team detailing how the office responds to abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of adults.
John Martz, director of social services, introduced the team and noted recent regional and state recognition for the unit. Supervisor Brenda Norman (presenting on behalf of the team) and APS specialists Tasha Garfola and Audra Smelzer described APS’s mission—“stop, protect, prevent”—and the intake and screening criteria for APS reports.
Audra Smelzer said the county screened 431 reports in fiscal year 2024; 140 met criteria and were sent for investigation. Of those investigations, 56% were ruled unfounded, 34% were founded and 9% later classified as invalid after further screening. Among founded cases, Smelzer said about 48% were self-neglect, 23% neglect, 15% exploitation, 8% physical abuse and 6% mental abuse. She warned the board that exploitation cases are increasing because scammers are finding new ways to target older adults.
Smelzer also explained benefits and screening programs tied to Medicaid waivers, including consumer-directed care, in-home agency care, nursing facility placement and the area’s new PACE program through Blue Ridge Independence in Winchester. She said auxiliary grants for assisted living are available but that Woods Cove is the only local assisted-living facility that accepts that grant.
Staff described guardianship and conservatorship work — the county oversees annual reports for guardianships and sometimes serves as a temporary public guardian — and emphasized that APS services are voluntary: county staff can offer services but cannot force an adult to accept them; Smelzer said about 10% of founded adults refuse services.
Supervisors praised the team’s work and asked about a proposed state bill to create an APS registry; Martz said the General Assembly is considering such a bill but that lawmakers have struggled with whether the registry should include findings for self-neglect. The presentation closed with a reminder that SNAP benefits were expected to be restored after federal action on a continuing resolution.
The board did not take formal action on the APS briefing; staff said they would continue outreach and service coordination.
