The Tennessee Department of Human Services' Adult Protective Services unit is partnering with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and the Tennessee Vulnerable Adult Coalition (TVAC) to help raise awareness and stop elder abuse. To view our Public Service Announcement, click on the window below.
Adult Protective Services staff investigate reports of abuse, neglect (including self-neglect) or financial exploitation of adults who are unable to protect themselves due to a physical or mental limitation. APS staff assess the need for protective services and provide services to reduce the identified risk to the adult.

Licensing Requirements Tennessee law requires that any Adult Day Care/Adult Day Services program caring for 10 or more clients be licensed by the Department of Human Services.

Adult Day Services Licensing Staff Contact Information. Licensing helps to ensure the safety of vulnerable adults. In licensed programs, an outside person (the state regulator) is monitoring for compliance with rules.

The rules include, but are not limited to, criminal background checks on the caregivers, fire and environmental inspections of the building, lower ratios of clients to caregivers, and an organized program, specifically designed for each client’s needs. These programs have a set of rules they must follow, and DHS Licensing Evaluators perform both announced and unannounced visits on the programs throughout the year to ensure that they are in compliance with these rules.