Report suspected abuse or neglect of an older or vulnerable adult
Elder & Dependent Adult
Oregon preparation and procedure guide
Source review: 2026-10-11

Scope: Shared Oregon or applicable federal procedure; confirm local requirements
Identify the concern and use the Oregon SAFEline or the appropriate adult-protection route.

Who this route is for
Anyone concerned about suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation or self-neglect of an older adult or a person with disabilities; screening determines the appropriate agency.

Timing and notices
Report suspected ongoing harm promptly. People who are mandatory reporters must follow their own immediate-reporting obligations.

Prepare (conditional documents may have alternatives)
[ ] Person location and safe contact details, if known
[ ] Dates and descriptions of observed concerns
[ ] Names or roles of people involved
[ ] Relevant records already lawfully available

How to proceed
1. If someone is injured or in immediate danger, call 911 rather than waiting for an administrative response.
2. Write down what you observed, when and where it happened, and the person current location.
3. Call Oregon SAFEline at 855-503-SAFE (7233) and explain the suspected harm, including any immediate safety concern.
4. Ask how to provide additional information and keep your report details; do not delay a report while trying to prove abuse.

Review ODHS abuse reporting: https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/aging-disability-services/pages/respect.aspx

Limits: A report starts agency screening and does not guarantee an investigation or specific protective action. This guide does not substitute for emergency help or individualized safety planning.

Publisher sources
Report suspected abuse or neglect of an older or vulnerable adult - publisher instructions
https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/aging-disability-services/pages/respect.aspx
Evidence type: publisher-html-snapshot
SHA-256: d1d6e684427561400867086fdf23678aba5e99a9a55d55de3d1f6c2c87cbbc36

This site helps you prepare. It does not submit filings, calculate personal deadlines, decide eligibility or replace professional review. A complaint or help request does not pause another case or deadline.

Start here
If someone is injured or in immediate danger, call 911 rather than waiting for an administrative response.

Where and how to submit
Read the linked publisher instructions to confirm the receiving office, accepted submission method and current forms. This page has not separately verified those details. A county filter does not decide the correct court or filing location.
https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/aging-disability-services/pages/respect.aspx

What will it cost?
Fees and fee-waiver eligibility have not been separately verified for this route. Check the current provider instructions. For a court filing, ask the court about its fee-waiver or deferral forms.

After submission
Keep a copy of what you send and its confirmation or receipt. Ask the receiving office how to track it, when to expect a response and how it will request missing information. These follow-up details have not been separately verified for this route.

Corrections, denials and appeals
Read any returned filing, correction request or denial notice promptly. Ask the responsible office for the correction, review or appeal instructions and the deadline that applies to your notice. This guide does not verify a route-specific appeal process.

Language, disability and offline help
Ask the receiving office about language assistance, disability accommodations and an alternative to online submission. Available options have not been separately verified for this route.