Adult Protective Services investigates allegations of abandonment, abuse, exploitation, and financial exploitation, neglect, self-neglect of elders 55 years of age and older and vulnerable adults 18 years of age and older who reside within the boundaries of the Colville Reservation.

Anyone including but not limited to healthcare personnel, educational personnel, child care personnel, mental health personnel, and law enforcement. Social workers are required to report knowledge or reasonable suspicion of abuse of elders and/or vulnerable people.

Adult Protective Services does not have the authority to: remove a client against his or her own will; detain or arrest an individual; be a guardian; act as an emergency response (such as law enforcement or EMT); force people to accept services.

“Abandonment” means action or inaction by a person or entity with a duty of care for an elder or a vulnerable adult that leaves the elder or vulnerable person without the means or ability to obtain essential services.

“Abuse” means a nonaccidental act of physical or mental mistreatment or injury, or sexual mistreatment, which harms a person through action or inaction by another individual.

“Exploitation” means the illegal or improper use of an elder or vulnerable adult or that person's income or resources, including trust funds, for another person's profit or advantage. Exploitation includes the imposition on the elder's time resources, such as leaving children or other persons in the care of the elder or vulnerable adult for extended periods or under circumstances in which the elder or vulnerable adult cannot adequately care for such children or other persons.

"Financial exploitation" can include sudden changes in bank account or banking practice, including an unexplained withdrawal of large sums of money; adding additional names on bank signature cards; unauthorized withdrawal of funds using an ATM card; abrupt changes in a will or other financial documents; unexplained disappearance of funds or valuable possessions; bills unpaid despite the money being available to pay them; forging a signature on financial transactions or for the titles of possessions; sudden appearance of previously uninvolved relatives claiming rights to a vulnerable adult’s possessions; unexplained sudden transfer of assets to a family member or someone outside the family; providing services that are not necessary; individual's report of exploitation.

​“Neglect” means a pattern of conduct or inaction by a person or entity with a duty of care for an elder or vulnerable adult that results in the deprivation of essential services to the elder or vulnerable person. ​

"Self-neglect" means when a vulnerable adult fails to provide adequately for themselves and jeopardizes his/her well-being. Examples include a vulnerable adult living in hazardous, unsafe, or unsanitary living conditions or not having enough food or water.

“Elder” means any person who is fifty-five (55) years of age or older.

“Vulnerable adult” means a person eighteen (18) years of age or older who has the functional, mental, or physical inability to care for themselves.

“Vulnerable adult” shall include:

(1) Persons found incapacitated or adult persons who are otherwise eligible for the appointment of a guardian under this Code;

(2) A person who has an intellectual disability such as: cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, or another neurological condition found by a physician or medical provider before the individual attains the age of eighteen (18) and the condition will continue or can be expected to continue indefinitely which constitutes a substantial handicap to the individual and/or

(3) Persons admitted to any long-term care facility or receiving services from home health, hospice, or home care agencies located or operating on the Colville Reservation. 

(4) Person who has a developmental disability as defined under RCW 71A.10.020; or

(5) Admitted to any facility; or receiving services from home health, hospice, or home care agencies licensed or required to be licensed under the RCW 70.127; or

(6) A person who self-directs his or her own care and receives services from a personal aide under RCW 74.39.

Suspicious or unexplainable bruises, sores, or weight loss; change in normal personality; neglect or inattention to hygiene, clothing, medication, food, or home; unexplainable financial changes or missing money and personal belongings; comments or statements that are intimidating, threatening, or degrading; individuals are kept from or are absent from normal activities with family, friends, or social events; regular appointments, such as medical or professional, are stopped without communication; uninvolved relatives and/or new individual(s) become involved and take over personal and financial matters.

CCT SSV and State MOU

Tribal Code 5-4, Abuse of Elders and Vulnerable Adults

Tribal Resolutions

Graduating High School Senior Assistance, Resolution 2001-569

Transitioning Plan Resolution 2018-556

Agency Defined Resolution 2020-36

Bureau of Indian Affairs

U.S. Department of the Interior

Human Services Division​

Children & Adult Protective Services

Individuals Indian Money Accounts (IIM)

Indian Affairs Manual (IAM)

A Supervised IIM Account Social Worker provides financial management to minors, adults in need of financial assistance, adult non compos mentos, and adults under legal disability who are enrolled Colville Tribal Members.

Our services are available to any graduating high school senior who is a Tribal member.

The deadline to submit your request is April 15, 2023.

High School Senior Expense Application

OMB form 1035-0004, Individual Indian Money (IIM) Senior Expense Form - Instructions for Disbursement of Funds and Change of Address

A minor child who is a current client with Children and Family Services (CFS), about to turn 18 years of age, and meets the criteria can be transitioned to a Supervised IIM Account Holder Social Worker.