NAMRS FFY 2017

Report 1: Agency Component

September 27, 2018
Suggested Citation

Aurelien, G., Beatrice, M., Cannizzo, J., Capehart, A., Gassoumis, Z., Ph.D., Greene, M. (2018). 

FFY2017 NAMRS Report 1: Agency Component. Submitted to the Administration of Community 

Living, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Disclaimer

The National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System and the Adult Protective Services Technical 

Resource Center is a project (HHSP 233201500042I) of the U.S. Administration for Community 

Living, Administration on Aging, Department of Health and Human Services, administered by the 

WRMA, Inc. Contractor’s findings, conclusions, and points of view do not necessarily represent 

U.S. Administration for Community Living, Administration on Aging, Department of Health and 

Human Services official policy.

Acknowledgements

The Administration for Community Living gratefully acknowledges the voluntary submission of 

data to the National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS) by the states, the District of 

Columbia (D.C.), and territories. Without the support of the Adult Protective Services (APS) staff, 

supervisors, and program administrators’ collection of data and reporting, it would have been 

impossible to have achieved the collection of data for the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2017 into the 

National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System. 
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component i

Contents

Executive Summary........................................................................................................................ ii

Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 1

AC-1a States’ Submission of Components................................................................................. 2

AC-1b Agency Component Submission ..................................................................................... 2

AC-2 Agency Component - Data Source.................................................................................... 3

AC-3 Agency Component - Staff................................................................................................ 4

AC-4 Agency Component - Intake Model .................................................................................. 5

AC-5 Agency Component - Reports........................................................................................... 6

AC-6 Agency Component -Time (Days) .................................................................................... 6

AC-7 Agency Component - Maltreatment Types....................................................................... 7

AC-8 Agency Component - Standard of Evidence ..................................................................... 8

AC-9 Agency Component - Assessment Tools........................................................................... 9

AC-10 Agency Component - Service Gaps ................................................................................ 9

Summaries of Narrative Information ........................................................................................ 11

Population Served ..................................................................................................................... 11

Population Served Settings........................................................................................................ 11

Perpetrator Information............................................................................................................. 12
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component ii

Executive Summary

The statistics in this report are based on data submitted to NAMRS, which is a voluntary reporting 

system that was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration 

for Community Living. In FFY 2017, 55 APS reporting jurisdictions volunteered to participate by 

providing information and data. For NAMRS, a reporting jurisdiction is the officially designated 

APS office in the state, territory, or district. States choose to submit Agency Component only or 

Agency Component and either Key Indicators Component or Case Component. 

Much information can be gleaned from reviewing the initial year of NAMRS data submissions in 

conjunction with the FFY 2017 data. Both years’ reports can be accessed on ACL’s NAMRS site.

 NAMRS Background Report: This report discusses the development of the NAMRS data 

system, provides an overview of the data elements and the data submission process, and 

discusses the known limitations and future directions of NAMRS. 

 Report 1: Agency Component: This report provides highlights of APS agency profile 

information and investigation data, including statutes, policies and procedures;

investigative practices; data systems; intake processes; staffing; training; and client 

assessments.

 Report 2: Key Indicators Component: This report consists of aggregated data on key 

statistics of investigations and victims, clients, and perpetrators provided by states that are 

unable to provide case-level data. 

 Report 3: Case Component: This report consists of case level data on investigations, client, 

maltreatment allegations, perpetrator, and client-perpetrator relationship. 

A final note on limitations of the FFY 2016 and FFY2017 data reports. For a new national reporting 

system, care was taken to explain how many states were able to submit information; the percentage 

of individual data elements provided; and to describe limitations discovered when reviewing data. 

No state could provide all Case Component, nor all Key Indicators, data elements, and no two 

states reported on all of the same data elements. Data contained in the exhibit tables will not always 

total 100%. Agency and Key Indicator data have aggregate totals, which contain duplicate counts 

of clients, victims, and perpetrators. The Case Component data, conversely, are unique. Case 

Component data consists of client characteristics, services, and perpetrator characteristics, 

provided by states that have report-level tracking systems. For these reasons, readers are cautioned 

against attempting to compare or combine data reported in Agency, Key Indicator, or Case 

Components.
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component 1

Introduction

The National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS) Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2017 

Agency Component report offers an overview of policies and practices of state adult protective 

services (APS) agencies. States submitted the information in calendar year 2018. However, the 

FFY2017 reporting period was October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017. Data contained in 

this report reflects this period.

For NAMRS, a reporting jurisdiction is the officially designated APS office in the state, territory, 

or district. Throughout the report the terminology of “states” is used in place of “state, territory or 

district.” In FFY2017, 55 states submitted Agency Component. One territory was unable to submit 

data for FFY2017. Two states did not participate in FFY2016 reporting but did submit Agency 

Component in FFY2017. The NAMRS Agency Component has 12 data elements that include 

numerical fields and/or narrative fields. The data elements in this report are individually identified 

with a narrative, data exhibit, and data table.

States provided optional comments regarding statutes, policies and procedures, investigative 

practices, data systems, intake processes, staffing, training, and client assessments. States may 

provide additional information if they choose to do so in the comment boxes that accompany each 

data element. This report includes some examples of states’ comments, especially if a comment 

was helpful in clarifying particular data elements. The three narrative fields: population served,

population served-setting, and perpetrators are summarized in this report. For definitions of these 

narrative fields, see the NAMRS Appendix. 

Because this is a new national reporting system, explanations are provided showing how many 

states were able to submit information, the percentage of individual data elements provided, and 

limitations discovered when reviewing data. NAMRS was developed to allow maximum flexibility 

for states to be able to report data in a way that did not increase their burden.

A review of data comparisons was conducted between the two reporting years and the differences 

were negligible. The factors of additional states reporting Agency Component and submitting more 

data and information contributed to the small differences in data between reporting years. 
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component 2

AC-1a States’ Submission of Components

“Exhibit AC-1a States’ Submission of Components” provides an overview of how many states 

submitted NAMRS component submission details and comparisons between FFY2016 and 

FFY2017. The components are Agency, Key Indicators, and Case. This exhibit indicates an 

increase in the number of participating states between FFY2016 and FFY2017 reporting years. In 

FFY2017, all 50 states, D.C., and four territories provided Agency Component. One territory was 

unable to participate in reporting for FFY2017. In addition to Agency Component, states chose to

submit either Key Indicator Component or Case Component data. States could have submitted

Case Component if their automated information system allowed for extraction of investigationspecific, case-level data. If unable to provide case-level detailed data, states submitted aggregated 

counts via the Key Indicators Component. More states participated in FFY2017 reporting than did 

in FFY2016: two states submitted Agency Component, one state submitted Key Indicators

Component, and two states submitted Case Component that had previously submitted Key 

Indicators Component.

Exhibit AC-1a States’ Submission of Components FFY2016-FFY2017

2016 2017

Component # of States (N=56) # of States (N=56)

Agency and Case 24 26

Agency and Key Indicators 20 21

Agency Only 10 8

Did Not Participate 2 1

AC-1b Agency Component Submission

The Agency Component has 12 data elements that include narrative fields. The following exhibit 

reflects response rates for the data elements. The optional narrative fields allow states to describe 

unique state statutes, policies, populations served, and methods of data collection. “Exhibit AC-1b

Agency Component Submission” provides the percentage of states able to submit information for 

specific data elements in the reporting of FFY2017 data.
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component 3

Exhibit AC-1b Agency Component Submission FFY2017

Data Element # of States that 

Submitted

% of All States 

(N=56)

% of States 

that Submitted 

(N=55)

Intake Model 55 98.20% 100.00%

Maltreatment Types 54 96.40% 98.20%

Data Source 53 94.60% 96.40%

Investigator FTEs Filled 52 92.90% 94.50%

Reports Accepted for Investigation 52 92.90% 94.50%

Assessment Tool 52 92.90% 94.50%

Standard of Evidence 51 91.10% 92.70%

Supervisor FTEs Filled 50 89.30% 90.90%

Response Time 46 82.10% 83.60%

Reports Not Accepted or I&R/I&RA 44 78.60% 80.00%

Completion Time 40 71.40% 72.70%

Service Gaps 24 42.90% 43.60%

AC-2 Agency Component - Data Source

The data source represents the entity from which the data was gathered. The reporting agency data 

are APS Agency Only or APS and Other Agencies. Examples of APS and Other Agencies include, 

but are not limited to, agencies responsible for maltreatment investigations, licensing and 

certification agencies, and regulatory authorities. States’ statutory authority varies for 

investigations and which population groups may be served. Population groups include older adults, 

adults with disabilities, and the person’s place of residence (includes the client’s home), a licensed 

facility or an unlicensed facility. For example, investigation maltreatment reports for adults 60 

years and older may be investigated by the Department of Aging; the Department of Behavioral 

Health and Developmental Disabilities may investigate adults 18 to 59 years with a disability; and 

the facility licensing and certification agency may investigate adults 18 years and older living in 

licensed or unlicensed long-term care facilities.

The state point of contact for reporting to NAMRS was the APS program. If the APS program was 

able to report adult maltreatment data from other state agencies also responsible for investigating

incidents of maltreatment, they worked with the other agencies to submit one state report to 
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component 4

NAMRS. “Exhibit AC-2 Agency Component Data Source” shows that 86.8% of the data came 

from the APS agency only, and 13.2% of the data came from a combination of APS and other 

agencies.

Exhibit AC-2 Agency Component Data Source FFY2017

Data Source # of States that 

Submitted

% of States

(N=53)

APS Agency Only 46 86.8%

APS and Other Agencies 7 13.2%

AC-3 Agency Component - Staff

States contributed information about filled full-time equivalent (FTE) staff positions and 

supervisory positions. Some of the state comments helped to explain these data. They included the 

following: (a) supervisors carry an investigative caseload, (b) staff counts are estimated because 

the county-level staffing and budgeting information is not fully known to the state APS program,

and (c) point-in-time data on staffing was provided. “Exhibit AC-3 Agency Component - Staff” 

indicates the count of FTEs for investigators and supervisors.

APS Agency 

Only

86.8%

APS and Other 

Agencies

13.2%
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component 5

Exhibit AC-3 Agency Component – Staff FFY2016-FFY2017

2016 2017 2016 2017

Staff # of States that 

Submitted

# of States that 

Submitted FTE Count FTE Count

Investigator FTE Filled 47 52 6,079 7,259

Supervisor FTE Filled 44 50 1,180 1,426

AC-4 Agency Component - Intake Model

APS programs receiving reports alleging adult maltreatment utilize different intake models for the 

receipt of reports. In some states, a centralized intake hotline or call-in number provides a single 

point of entry for reports of maltreatment. In other states, decentralized options include regional 

or county hotlines or call-in numbers. “Exhibit AC-4 Agency Component - Intake Model” displays

2017 data about states’ systems for receipt of reports of adult maltreatment. 

Exhibit AC-4 Agency Component - Intake Model FFY2017

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000

Investigator FTE Filled

Supervisor FTE Filled

FFY2016

FFY2017

51.9%

24.1%

20.4%

3.7%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Centralized at A Statewide

Hotline or Call-In Number

Combination of Both Statewide

and Local Hotlines or Call-In Numbers

Local at County or Regional

Hotlines or Call-In Numbers

Other
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component 6

Intake Model

# of States 

that 

Submitted

% of 

States 

(N=54)

Centralized at a Statewide Hotline/Call-In Number 28 51.9%

Combination of Both Statewide/Local Hotlines/Call-In Numbers 13 24.1%

Local at County or Regional Hotlines/Call-In Numbers 11 20.4%

Other 2 3.7%

AC-5 Agency Component - Reports

When an APS program receives a report of maltreatment, they assess for next steps by doing one 

of the following: (a) accept the report for investigation and assessment for intervention and 

services; or (b) only provide information, assistance, and referral. States have different policies for 

the triaging of reports of maltreatment. “Exhibit AC-5 Agency Component - Reports” data for

817,325 reports were accepted for investigation by 52 states. The exhibit also reveals that 44 states

received 965,383 reports of maltreatment that were not accepted for investigation but, instead

received information, assistance, and referral only.

Exhibit AC-5 Agency Component – Reports FFY2017

Reports # of States that 

Submitted

Count of Reports 

(N=1,782,708)

Accepted for Investigation 52 817,325

Not Accepted or I&R/I&RA 44 965,383

AC-6 Agency Component -Time (Days)

The Response Time is the length of time in days from receipt by APS of a report of alleged 

maltreatment to the time that APS makes contact with the client. The Completion Time is the 

length of time in days from the start of an investigation to its closure. “Exhibit AC-6 Agency 

Component Time (Days)” reflects in FFY2017 the average number of days was 4.5 days for 

Response Time and 47.4 days for the completion of an investigation. 
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component 7

Exhibit AC-6 Agency Component - Time (Days) FFY2017

Time (Days) # of States that 

Submitted Average Days

Response Time 46 4.5

Completion Time 40 47.4

AC-7 Agency Component - Maltreatment Types

Each state has distinct laws and policies defining what types of adult maltreatment the APS 

program will investigate or assess. “Exhibit AC-7 Agency Component - Maltreatment Types” lists 

the types of maltreatment requested by NAMRS. Nineteen states reported additional maltreatment 

types under the type of Other. Examples of other maltreatment types include abduction, 

confinement/isolation, coercion, and treatment without consent. See definitions of maltreatment 

types in the Appendix.

Exhibit AC-7 Agency Component - Maltreatment Types FFY2017

Maltreatment Types # of States that 

Submitted

% of States that 

Submitted 

(N=54)

Neglect 54 100.0%

Physical Abuse 52 96.3%

Self-Neglect 50 92.6%

Sexual Abuse 49 90.7%

Financial Exploitation 45 83.3%

Emotional Abuse 41 75.9%

Exploitation (Non-Specific) 27 50.0%

Abandonment 23 42.6%

Other Exploitation 22 40.7%

Other Type 19 35.2%

Suspicious Death 9 16.7%
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component 8

AC-8 Agency Component - Standard of Evidence

States have distinct laws and policies defining what standard of evidence is used for substantiating 

(determining) an allegation of maltreatment. Based on their statutes, a few states do not

“investigate” and/or make a substantiation of alleged maltreatment reports. Instead, staff assesses

a person for risk of maltreatment and need for protective services. See definitions of maltreatment 

types in Appendix A. “Exhibit AC-8 Agency Component - Standard of Evidence” indicates that 

states use the following standards of evidence in ranking order: Preponderance (62.7%); No State 

Standard (15.7%); Credible, Reasonable, or Probable Cause (13.7%); Clear and Convincing 

(5.9%); and Different Standard Based on Type of Perpetrator (2%). 

Exhibit AC-8 Agency Component - Standard of Evidence FFY2017

Standard of Evidence # of States that 

Submitted

% of States

(N=51)

Preponderance 32 62.7%

No State Standard 8 15.7%

Credible, Reasonable, or Probable Cause 7 13.7%

Clear and Convincing 3 5.9%

Different Standard Based on Type of Perpetrator 1 2.0%

62.7%

15.7%

13.7%

5.9%

2.0%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Preponderance

No State Standard

Credible, Reasonable, or

Probable Cause

Clear and Convincing

Different Standard Based on

Type of Perpetrator
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component 9

AC-9 Agency Component - Assessment Tools

States have policies defining whether APS personnel use standard assessment tools throughout the 

state. Assessment tools gauge client safety, at-risk factors, or behavioral health conditions and are 

commonly used. Unless specifically qualified or authorized by state law, an APS worker does not 

carry out clinical health or capacity assessments, but rather screens for indications of impairment, 

and, as needed, refers the client on to qualified professionals (physicians, neuropsychologists, etc.) 

to administer thorough evaluations. “Exhibit AC-9 Agency Component - Assessment Tools” 

displays information about states’ use of assessment tools. In FFY2017, 75% of states use a 

common instrument or tool, while 25% do not.

Exhibit AC-9 Agency Component - Assessment Tools FFY2017

Assessment Tool

# of States 

that 

Submitted

% of States

(N=52)

Yes, use common instrument or tool throughout the state 39 75.0%

No, assessment instruments are determined by each 

county or left to the worker's discretion 13 25.0%

AC-10 Agency Component - Service Gaps

The information provided on client service gaps reflects the APS programs’ efforts to arrange, 

provide, or make referrals for needed services for clients/victims. Service gaps are an indication

that services are limited or may not be available. Some states provided helpful explanatory 

comments about service gaps. Common statements included the following: (a) waiting lists for 

receipt of services; (b) services available in urban areas but not the rural areas of the state; and (c) 

lack of transportation, especially in rural areas, make the services inaccessible. “Exhibit AC-10 

Yes, use common 

instrument or tool 

throughout the 

state

75%

No, assessment 

instruments are 

determined by 

each county or left 

to the worker's 

discretion

25%
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component 10

Agency Component - Service Gaps” indicates the degree to which the reporting states considered 

each specific service type to be limited or unavailable for their clients. 

Exhibit AC-10 Agency Component - Service Gaps FFY2017

Service Gaps # of States that 

Submitted

% of States that 

Submitted (N=24)

Housing and Relocation Services 18 75.0%

Transportation Services 16 66.7%

Mental Health Services 15 62.5%

Legal Services 12 50.0%

Financial Planning Services 11 45.8%

Caregiver Support Services 10 41.7%

Community Day Services 10 41.7%

Emergency Assistance and Material Aid Services 10 41.7%

In-Home Assistance Services 10 41.7%

Medical and Dental Services 10 41.7%

Nutrition Services 10 41.7%

Substance Use Services 10 41.7%

Other Services 10 41.7%

Care/Case Management Services 9 37.5%

Victim Services 8 33.3%

Education, Employment, and Training Services 7 29.2%

Medical Rehabilitation Services 7 29.2%

Public Assistance Benefits Services 5 20.8%
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component 11

Summaries of Narrative Information

In addition to the data elements, the Agency Component has three narrative fields. States may 

share information about the population groups served, the settings in which investigations are 

conducted, and whether any perpetrator information is collected.

Population Served

The Agency Component includes a data field where states can describe the population served. APS 

programs use age and the concept of disability, dependency, or vulnerability to define the 

populations they serve. In some programs, being elderly (ages 60 or 65) is the only criterion for 

whom they serve; in others, it is a combination of age and disability, dependency, or vulnerability. 

State programs that serve non-elderly individuals (i.e., 18 to 60 or 65 years of age) always require 

disability, dependency, or vulnerability as a criterion. 

The definition of disability, dependency or vulnerability varies greatly from state to state. Some 

examples of how state policies define vulnerable adult with these parameters are:

● “A vulnerable adult means an individual who is 18 years of age or older and who is unable 

to protect himself/herself from abuse, neglect or exploitation by others because of a 

physical or mental impairment.”

● “A vulnerable adult is a person 18 years of age or older whose ability to perform the normal 

activities of daily living or to provide for his or her own care or protection is impaired due 

to a mental, emotional, sensory, long-term physical, or developmental disability or 

dysfunction.”

● “A vulnerable adult is an individual 18 years of age or older who is at risk of self-harm or 

harm from another individual due to physical, emotional or mental impairments that 

severely limit his/her ability to manage his/her home, or personal or financial affairs.”

● “An adult with a disability is a person aged 18 to 64 with a mental, physical, or intellectual 

or developmental disability that substantially impairs the person's ability to provide 

adequately for his or her own care or protection.”

State statutes and policies for APS determine the age, disability, and parameters for who is eligible 

for an investigation and potential services. Examples of APS programs’ eligibility criteria include:

● Adults ages 18 to 60 or 65 with a disability, and ages 60 or 65 and older. 

● Adults ages 60 or 65 or older only. Younger adults with disabilities not served by APS.

● Adults ages 60 or 65 or older with no disability. Age and not disability is a criteria.

● Minors with disabilities if they are emancipated.

Population Served Settings

Some APS programs investigate allegations in residential care communities and/or nursing 

facilities. Among those that do, there is variation regarding the types of providers that are 
NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component 12

investigated. Also, various APS programs investigate allegations of maltreatment by people other 

than staff or providers that occur in the facility. Highlights include: 

● In 38 states, APS investigates allegations of maltreatment when they occur in at least some 

types of residential facilities. Some state policies specify which types of facilities (e.g., 

licensed or unlicensed), while others are more general.

● In 14 states, APS never investigates allegations of maltreatment in facilities. Other agencies 

are responsible for such investigations.

● Four states did not provide information about investigations within facilities.

Perpetrator Information

Thirty-seven states reported collecting some perpetrator information in a data system or in the 

narrative record. Eighteen states do not collect any perpetrator information. Additional information 

shared by some states included:

● Two states began collecting perpetrator information in calendar year 2017. 

● Two states collect information for those perpetrators associated with a client who is 18-59 

years of age, but do not collect perpetrator information for other ages.

● Three states collect perpetrator information when there is a kinship relationship between 

the perpetrator and the victim.

● One state only collects perpetrator information as it relates to whether or not the perpetrator 

is a caregiver of the victim.

● One state collects perpetrator information, but only maintains perpetrator data for a very 

specific time period.

End of NAMRS FFY 2017 Report 1: Agency Component

For more information about NAMRS please direct inquiries to 

ACL Program Officer Stephanie Whittier Eliason