Adult Protective Services Workload Reform

APS investigators face overwhelming workloads, with nearly 18,000 open investigations statewide. The current backlog threatens both vulnerable adult safety and worker well-being, and new federal timelines put increased pressure on an already strained system. 

This session, WFSE seeks funding solutions to ensure investigators can respond quickly and effectively to reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. 

When vulnerable adults experience abuse, neglect, abandonment, self-neglect, or financial exploitation, APS workers investigate allegations of harm, coordinate with families and providers, and connect people to the services they need to remain safe. 

Staff report high burnout, low morale, and high turnover, while supervisors are working 50-60 hours per week and some employees are working off the clock just to manage workloads. 

The challenge is becoming even more urgent. New federal requirements that took effect in July 2026 created stricter investigation timelines, reducing the amount of time available to respond to reports while workloads remain extremely high. At the same time, APS investigators continue to see increasing need as Washington's population ages and more vulnerable adults require services and support.  

Washington must invest in staffing, workload forecasting, and long-term workforce planning so APS investigators can spend their time protecting at-risk Washingtonians rather than managing overwhelming caseloads.