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Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD)

Adult Protective Services (APS) Operational Plan

State/Territory/District Delaware

Contact Julie Devlin, Julie.Devlin@delaware.gov

Budget Allocation ARPA 1: $645,450.00 ARPA 2: $1,349,550.00 Total ARPA Grants: $1,994,550

Timeline AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) OF 2021- Grant 1 

August 2021 – September 2023

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) OF 2021 - Proposed Grant 2 

August 2022 – September 2024

Vision 2025 Building strong support for Delaware's most vulnerable adults.

Mission Statement The mission of Delaware Adult Protective Services is to promote dignity, respect, and 

inclusion for older adults and people with disabilities by ensuring their safety and 

wellbeing.

Guiding Principles / Core Values • Treat everyone with respect and honesty.

• Mobilize the individual's own strengths and utilize whatever resources 

are available in the community in order to improve the adult's ability to 

function and to live a life with safety and dignity.

• Prevent unnecessary or inappropriate institutionalization.

• Safeguard the rights and resources and maintain the physical and 

psychological health of the adult.

• Prevent injury to vulnerable adults or to others.

• Recognize and preserve the right of self-determination of the vulnerable 

adult.

• Seek appropriate legal alternatives (such as guardianship) only after all 

other remedies are exhausted, unless an emergency arises which 

requires a legal alternative.

• Establish a coordinated system of services to protect the health, safety,

and welfare of infirm or incapacitated adults by utilizing both the 

informal and formal support network.
Delaware APS Operational Plan ` Page 2

Goals for Program Improvement • Develop an emergency capable APS, including providing staff with 

tools to be able to work more efficiently by enhancing the APS 

infrastructure.

• Better support alleged victims of abuse, neglect, and exploitation by 

streamlining access to APS and its services.

Targeted Improvement Projects Refer to Logic Model below.

Purpose/Needs to 

be filled by ARPA 

Funds

Inputs (Resources 

Deployed) Activities Outputs from Investment Short-Term Outcomes Long-Term Outcomes

Due to high turnover, 

workloads have 

increased for fulltime 

staff. Additional staff 

is needed to combat 

the growing 

caseloads.

$85,000 initial funding is 

required to hire temporary 

staff to investigate 

allegations of abuse, 

neglect, and exploitation 

and pay for additional 

licenses to the Harmony for 

APS client management 

system.

ARPA 1 Project 1

Additional staffing

is needed to 

address the 

number of reports 

made to APS.

Increase the 

number of reports 

investigated within 

three days by as 

much as 50%

Staff can spend more time 

on investigation due to 

smaller caseloads.

Staffing and case ratios are 

on par with national 

averages providing better 

care for Clients and victims.

A major performance 

improvement project 

is needed to address 

the lack of

consistency of APS 

practices and process 

for staff.

$380,000 is needed, starting 

in November 2021, to 

contract with consultants to 

help Delaware improve data 

collection and reporting, 

develop quality assurance, 

and train staff.

ARPA 1 Project 2

Performance 

improvement is 

needed to address 

inconsistencies in

investigations and 

data collection.

Increased fidelity 

to the APS policies 

and procedures by 

as much as 75%.

All APS staff enter all 

necessary data into the 

Harmony for APS system 

the same day they meet 

with an alleged victim.

Delaware is able to submit 

accurate case component 

data into the National Adult 

Maltreatment Reporting 

System (NAMRS). Better 

data allows improvements 

in services to older adults 

and people with disabilities.

A growing level of 

complex cases has 

put pressure on APS 

to secure more 

emergency services 

for alleged victims 

and their families.

$180,000 is needed, starting 

in November 2021, to 

provide emergency services 

and build a supportive 

emergency housing program

in Kent and Sussex Counties.

ARPA 1 Project 3

Enhanced 

emergency

services are 

needed to address 

the supports 

needed in

complex cases.

Increased

emergency services 

rendered by as 

much as 50%.

Alleged victims are 

provided necessary 

services in a timely fashion.

Delaware has emergency 

housing available for alleged 

victims in all three counties.
Delaware APS Operational Plan ` Page 3

Due to high turnover, 

workloads have 

increased for fulltime 

staff. Additional staff 

is needed to combat 

the growing 

caseloads.

$1,289,596.50 is needed, 

starting in August 2022, to 

hire fulltime merit staff to 

operate the newly created 

Kent County APS office. 

ARPA 2 Project 1

Additional staffing 

is needed to 

address the 

number of reports 

made to APS.

Increase the 

number of reports 

investigated within 

three days by as 

much as 50%

Staff can spend more time 

on investigations due to 

smaller caseloads.

Staffing and case ratios are 

on par with national 

averages, providing better 

care for Clients and victims.

Intensive training 

around self-neglect is 

needed as APS will 

be responding to 

these reports for the 

first time starting in 

2022. 

$45,000 is needed, starting 

in August 2022, to work 

with an expert in selfneglect to provide intensive 

training for APS staff.

ARPA 2 Project 2

Intensive training 

around selfneglect is needed 

to address the 

best ways to work 

with these clients 

in a consistent 

manner.

Increased fidelity 

to the national best 

practices by as 

much as 75%.

Staff can appropriately 

respond to self-neglect 

reports due to new 

knowledge gained through 

training.

Delaware is able to provide 

services to self-neglect 

clients, developing a more 

sustainable approach, 

consistent with national 

best practices.

Due to the 

complexity of selfneglect cases and 

those providing 

inadequate self-care, 

a partnership is 

needed with mental 

health professionals. 

$14,953.50 is needed, 

starting in August 2023, to

partner with the Division of 

Substance Abuse and 

Mental Health (DSAMH) 

Psychiatric Residents 

Program to provide 

community experience

through working with selfneglect clients.

ARPA 2 Project 3

A partnership with 

the mental health 

professionals is 

needed to address 

the complexities 

of those providing 

inadequate selfcare.

Increased mental 

health support for 

self-neglect clients 

by as much as 50%.

Self-neglect clients are 

provided necessary mental 

health services in a timely 

fashion.

Delaware is able to provide 

services to self-neglect 

clients, developing a more 

sustainable approach, 

consistent with national 

best practices.
Delaware APS Operational Plan ` Page 4

Budget / Spending Plan for ARPA funds – Semi-annually for 3 to 5 years

ARPA 1- First Grant Allocation - August 2021 - September 2023

Description 2022 

Period 1

2022 

Period 2

2023 

Period 1

2023 

Period 2 Total

Project 1

Additional 

Staffing $25,000 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 $85,000

Project 2

Performance 

Improvement $75,000 $150,000 $75,000 $80,000 $380,000

Project 3

Emergency 

Services $7,500 $7,500 $82,500 $82,500 $180,000

Total $107,500.00 $177,500.00 $177,500.00 $182,500.00 $645,000.00

ARPA 2- Second Grant Allocation - August 2022 September 2024

Description

2023 

Period 1

2023 

Period 2

2024 

Period 1

2024 

Period 2 Total

Project 1

Additional 

Staffing $322,399.13 $322,399.12 $322,399.13 $322,399.12 $1,289,596.50

Project 2

Self-Neglect 

Training $45,000 $45,000

Project 3

Psychiatric 

Resident 

Program $14,953.50 $14,953.50

Total $367,399.13 $322,399.12 $337,352.63 $322,399.12 $1,349,550.00

Summary of ARPA 1 + ARPA 2 Expense

2022 

Period 1

2022 Period 

2

2023 Period 

1

2023 Period 

2

2024 Period 

1

2024 Period 

2 Total

Summary $107,500 $177,500 $544,899.13 $504,899.12 $337,352.63 $322,399.12 $1,994,550.00

Operational Plan Submission due by January 31, 2022.