Working with Partners
Children's Advocacy Centers
Children’s advocacy centers (CACs) work with APS on abuse and neglect investigations. CACs provide a safe environment where community agencies share information and develop coordinated strategies to meet the needs of APS clients. They provide specialized forensic interviews and minimize the need for multiple agencies to interview victims of abuse separately. In 2018, 98 percent of Texas counties are served by one of the 71 programs in Texas.
Texas Partners for APS & Resource Rooms
Texas Partners for Adult Protective Services is a statewide non-profit organization that works with APS to help improve the lives of clients by developing resources that support APS clients and staff. Twenty-five non-profit boards from around the state elect members to the Texas Partners for APS board, which works with local boards to raise funds and educate the public and service providers on elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation issues. Texas Partners for APS and local boards collect donations to stock emergency resource rooms in APS offices with supplies that APS caseworkers use, 24 hours a day, to help older adults or those with a disability who are being abused or neglected. In FY 2018, there were 41 resource rooms in 157 Texas counties. Resource rooms go by several different names such as Bridge Rooms, Silver Star Rooms, and Silver Ribbon Rooms.
Banfield Foundation
A grant from the Banfield Foundation enables APS clients to also get health and veterinary care for their pets. This grant pays for items such as pet food, veterinary care and services, grooming, flea and tick medications, heart worm prevention, and when needed, short term shelter until the pet and owner can be reunited in a safe environment.
Public Awareness Campaign
It's Everyone's Business is an APS outreach campaign that provides resources and information year round, but focuses on May and October to promote ways to protect adults from abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. The major goals of the campaign are to:
- Raise awareness about the problems of adult abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.
- Increase awareness of APS programs and services.
- Enlist community support for clients, staff, and resources.
In October, the campaign focuses on financial exploitation by working with organizations that provide services to vulnerable adults, and supplies them with information on financial exploitation. See EveryonesBusiness.org for more information on how to become involved.