Adult Protection Program
What is Adult Protection?
The Adult Protection Program is governed by the Adult Protection Act. The Adult Protection Act has two purposes. First, to provide or arrange for assistance for an adult who needs assistance. Second, to provide protective (court) intervention for an adult who needs protection.
Adults 18 years and older may need protection if:
- they are living in a situation of significant risk of self-neglect;
- they are experiencing abuse or neglect by others, which results in serious harm to them:
- their mental and/or physical incapacity prevents them from protecting themselves from abuse or neglect.
An adult is entitled to live in the manner they wish. They can accept or decline assistance from Adult Protection, provided the adult has the capacity to make such decisions.
Adults who may be unable to protect themselves can include, but are not limited to, adults with intellectual disabilities, cognitive or physical impairments or incapacity.
Types of abuse can include:
- Emotional abuse: psychological harm or mistreatment which can result in emotional distress
- Physical abuse: forced physical contact which can result in unexplained physical injuries
- Sexual abuse: forced or non-consensual sexual contact
- Financial abuse: unauthorized or improper use of financial resources
- Self-neglect: failure to meet necessities including food, shelter, clothing, hygiene, medical needs
- Caregiver neglect: failure to ensure necessities are met including food, shelter, clothing, hygiene, medical needs
What should I do if I suspect an adult needs protection?
Report your concern to Adult Protection in any Home Care office across PEI. The source of the report will be kept confidential and will not be shared with the adult in question.
What can Adult Protection do?
Adult Protection is authorized to respond to reports of possible abuse, neglect or self-neglect. The Adult Protection Act protects and assists vulnerable adults who:
- are at an immediate and significant level of risk and do not understand or appreciate the level of risk they are living in;
- do not have the physical ability to protect themselves from the assessed risk; or
- are unable to protect themselves because of physical or cognitive limitations.
Reported cases will be assigned to an Adult Protection Worker. They will determine next steps based on the information provided and the Adult Protection mandate for investigation. If there are reasonable and probable grounds to believe the person needs assistance or protection, the Adult Protection Worker will investigate and assess as appropriate.
The Adult Protection Worker’s assessment will guide any immediate safety measures and care planning to reduce the risks to the individual.
Adult Protection may notify the Public Guardian if medical documentation shows the individual cannot make reasonable judgements about their personal matters. This can include health care, nutrition, accommodation, clothing, hygiene, or other matters necessary for ordinary life. The Public Guardian is appointed by the court if a person is no longer able to look after their personal affairs and has no trusted family or friends to assist.
Adult Protection may notify the Public Trustee if medical documentation shows there is considerable risk of immediate, serious harm to an individual’s estate. The Public Trustee is appointed if a person is no longer able to look after their financial affairs and has no trusted family or friends to assist.
How can I contact Adult Protection?
Contact Adult Protection through a local Home Care office:
Souris
Souris Hospital
17 Knights Avenue
PO Box 640
Souris, PE C0A 2B0
Telephone: (902) 687-7096
Montague
6 Harmony Lane
PO Box 490
Montague, PE C0A 1R0
Telephone: (902) 838-0786
Charlottetown
165 John Yeo Drive
Charlottetown, PE C1E 3J3
Telephone: (902) 368-4790
Summerside
Wedgewood Manor
310 Brophy Avenue
Summerside, PE C1N 5N4
Telephone: (902) 888-8440
O’Leary
Community Hospital
14 MacKinnon Drive
PO Box 160
O’Leary, PE C0B 1V0
Telephone: (902) 859-8730