Social Services (Adult) Unit
Social Services Supervisor, Adult Services - Kim Larson
Contact us at: 218-927-7200 or toll free at 1-800-328-3744
Via e-mail at: adult.social.services@co.aitkin.mn.us
Adult Social Services:
Aitkin County Health & Human Services provides a variety of services for adults and children with disabilities as well as elderly services. The county has also taken an active role in assessing the needs and when possible, developing services for this population.
Service Targeted to Disability Groups:
Adult Mental Health:
- Case Management
- Community Support Program
- Pre-petition screens for commitments
- Service Development through Mental Health Initiative
Developmental Disabilities:
- Case Management
- Transitional Services (Age 14-22)
- Semi-Independent Living Skills
- Individual Service Planning for greater independence
Chemical Dependency for Adults or Adolescents:
- Assessments
- Funding for treatment based on eligibility
- Case Management
- Pre-petition screens for commitment.
StartYourRecovery.org is a nation-wide resource for locating chemical use services: https://startyourrecovery.org
Vulnerable Adults
Identifying who is a Vulnerable Adult (VA) and what is maltreatment can be challenging for many different reasons. The following information may assist you in understanding vulnerable adult maltreatment reporting.
Who is a Vulnerable Adult?
Categorical Vulnerable Adult:
- Any person 18 years of age or older who is a:
- Resident or inpatient of a facility, regulated by the State of Minnesota, or
- Receives services from a facility, regulated by the State of Minnesota, or
- Recipient of home care services regulated by the State of Minnesota.
Functional Vulnerable Adult:
A person 18 years of age or older who, regardless of residence or services, has an impairment or disability and because of this impairment has:
- An impaired ability to meet basic needs without assistance, including the provision of food, shelter, clothing, health care, or supervision, and
- An impaired ability to protect self from maltreatment.
How is maltreatment defined?
Abuse:
- Physical: Hitting, slapping, kicking, pinching, biting, or corporal punishment
- Emotional: Repeated or malicious oral, written, or gestured language or treatment that would be considered disparaging, derogatory, humiliating, harassing, or threatening
- Mental: Unauthorized aversive/deprivation procedures; unreasonable confinement/seclusion
- Sexual: Criminal sexual conduct 1st – 5th degrees
- Involuntary Servitude: Forcing, compelling, or coercing or enticing a vulnerable adult to provide services for the advantage of another; and
- Use of drugs to injure or facilitate a crime.
Neglect:
- Failure or omission to provide for basic needs: food, clothing, shelter, medical care, or supervision
- Absence of care or services essential to maintain health and safety
- Neglect may be by caregiver or self neglect
Financial Exploitation:
- Person has fiduciary relationship: guardian/conservator/power of attorney/joint account/contract/documented consent/etc. and there is unauthorized expenditure of funds or failure to use funds for VA and resulting or likely to result in detriment to VA.
- Person has no fiduciary relationship and
- Willfully uses / withholds/disposes of funds/property of VA
- Obtains for self or another services to the detriment of the VA
- Acquires possession / control / interest in VA’s property / funds through harassment / undue influence / duress / deception / fraud and
- Forces / compels / coerces / entices VA to perform services for another’s advantage.
Contact: If you suspect maltreatment of a Vulnerable Adult in Aitkin County, contact the toll free number.
MN Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC) hotline at 1-844-880-1574. This phone line is intended for use by the general public, and is staffed 24 hours a day/7 days a week. If your situation is an emergency, call 9-1-1 to reach your local law enforcement agency.
ACHHS APS Prioritization Guidelines
Services Directly Provided:
Adult protection assessments and follow-up, assessments, case management, counseling, licensing for adult or child foster care, pre-admission screenings for applicants to nursing homes, pre-petition screening for chemical dependency and mental health commitments, and transportation services.