Complaints to Arizona’s Adult Protective Services rarely substantiated

Arizona Daily Star

The Arizona Daily Star found the state’s Adult Protective Services (APS) investigated and closed out 21,602 allegations of neglect, abuse and exploitation of vulnerable adults, but just 167 of those allegations — less than 1 percent — were substantiated.

Wilkes & McHugh attorneys Melanie Bossie and Mary Ellen Spiece (now Reilly) were interviewed for the article. 

“We do commonly have people frustrated with administrative remedies and many times, we’ve been able to pursue a resolution when a case has been unsubstantiated with APS or ADHS (the Arizona Department of Health Services),” Bossie told the Star. “I am not trying to be critical — we are just going to do a deeper investigation.”

Read the article here.