Adult Protective Services
Adult protective services are set up to aid Elder Adults and Adults-at-Risk who have been abused, neglected, or exploited. Also provides services to keep elder adults safe in their homes.
What is Elder Abuse
Each year hundreds of thousands of older persons are abused, neglected, and exploited. Many victims are people who are older, frail, and vulnerable and cannot help themselves and depend on others to meet their most basic needs. Abusers of older adults are both women and men, and may be family members, friends, or “trusted others.”
In general, elder abuse is a term referring to any knowing, intentional, or negligent act by a caregiver or any other person that causes harm or a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable adult.
Types of Elder Abuse:
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Physical Abuse—inflicting physical pain or injury on a senior, e.g. slapping, bruising, or restraining by physical or chemical means.
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Sexual Abuse—non-consensual sexual contact of any kind.
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Neglect—the failure by those responsible to provide food, shelter, health care, or protection for a vulnerable elder.
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Exploitation—the illegal taking, misuse, or concealment of funds, property, or assets of a senior for someone else's benefit.
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Emotional Abuse—inflicting mental pain, anguish, or distress on an elder person through verbal or nonverbal acts, e.g. humiliating, intimidating, or threatening.
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Abandonment—desertion of a vulnerable elder by anyone who has assumed the responsibility for care or custody of that person.
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Self-neglect—characterized as the failure of a person to perform essential, self-care tasks and that such failure threatens his/her own health or safety.
If you suspect Elder Abuse, please call the Access Unit at 715-743-5233 to make a report.
Clark County Department
of Social Services
517 Court St.
Room 502
Neillsville, WI 54456
Monday - Friday
8 AM - 4:30 PM
Ph: (715) 743-5233
Fx: (715) 743-5242
Toll Free: (866) 743-5233
Emergency After Hours
Sheriff's Office:
(715) 743-3157
After Hours No Heat Hotline:
(715) 743-3157
​Guardianship of Person & Estate
Chapter 54 – Previously was Chapter 880 until 2006.
"Guardian" means a person appointed by a court under s. 54.10 to manage the income and assets and provide for the essential requirements for health and safety and the personal needs of an individual found incompetent or a spendthrift.
Clark County Social Services is responsible is to assist with Guardianship, either through performing direct assistance with the completion and arranging Guardianships or directing to appropriate resources so it can be completed privately through an attorney.
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If you are in need of assistance with the Guardianship Process, please contact the Access Unit at 715-743-5233.
Protective Placement
Chapter 55 - Designed to establish those protective services and protective placements, to assure their availability to all individuals when in need of them, and to place the least possible restriction on personal liberty and exercise of constitutional rights consistent with due process and protection from abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, and self-neglect.
This may include Emergency Protective Placement or Emergency Protective Services.
Clark County Social Services responsibility is to assist with Protective Placements, either through performing direct assistance with the completion and arranging of Protective Placements or directing to appropriate resources.
If you are in need of assistance with the Protective Placement Process, please contact the Access Unit at 715-743-5233.
Elder Abuse Funding
Program Goals
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To provide direct services to victims of elder abuse, neglect, self-neglect and/or financial exploitation age 60 or older [per WI Stats. §46.90].
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To reduce the incidence of elder abuse, neglect and/or financial exploitation through the provision of early intervention service(s) for individuals identified at risk of elder abuse, neglect and/or exploitation.
What the Funds Can Be Used For?
Funds may be used for a wide variety of purposes related to the provision of direct services and/or prevention programming for elder abuse victims or individuals identified at risk of elder abuse, neglect and/or financial exploitation. Note that self-neglect, as defined by WI Stats. § 46.90, includes a threshold of significant danger i.e., a significant danger to the elder must be present. Services that may be funded under this allocation include:
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Advocacy/Legal Services
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Community- Based Aids/Services
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Day Care Services/Treatment
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Emergency Response Services
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Medical Services
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Outreach
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Receipt and Response to Reports of Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation
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Service Coordination
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Transportation
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Victim Services
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Other Direct Services to Elder Abuse Victims or Persons Identified at Significant Risk of Victimization or Self-Harm
To request and to be evaluated for Elder Abuse Funding please call the Access Unit at 715-743-5233.