Adult Protective Services in New Hampshire: How to Report and What Happens Next

What Adult Protective Services Does in New Hampshire

New Hampshire's Bureau of Adult and Aging Services (BAAS) operates the state's adult protective services program under RSA 161-F. BAAS investigates reports of abuse, neglect, exploitation, and self-neglect involving vulnerable adults.

The program covers physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, and neglect — whether by a caregiver, family member, facility staff, or the vulnerable adult themselves (self-neglect). Self-neglect is the most common category BAAS investigates, accounting for roughly half of all substantiated cases nationally and following a similar pattern in New Hampshire.

How to File a Report

Anyone can report suspected abuse or neglect. You do not need proof — a reasonable suspicion is enough.

During DHHS business hours: Call the BAAS Intake line at 1-800-949-0470 (toll-free) or (603) 271-7014.

After hours, weekends, and holidays: Call the local police department or county sheriff; for an emergency, call 911. New Hampshire State Police Headquarters Communications is (603) 223-4381.

Online: You can also submit a report through the DHHS online reporting portal.

When you call, be ready to describe:

• The vulnerable adult's name, age, and location
• The nature of the suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation
• The name of the suspected perpetrator (if known)
• Any immediate safety concerns
• Your name and contact information (though anonymous reports are accepted)

Who Is Required to Report

New Hampshire's Adult Protection Law requires any person who suspects or believes in good faith that a vulnerable adult has been abused, neglected, self-neglected, or exploited to make an oral report immediately under RSA 161-F:46. After-hours reports go to the police department or county sheriff where the alleged abuse occurred. Knowingly failing to make a required report is a misdemeanor under RSA 161-F:50. BAAS cannot investigate what it does not know about.

What Happens After a Report Is Filed

BAAS screens every incoming report to determine whether it meets the threshold for investigation. If accepted, the process follows a structured timeline:

Initial review and investigation (as soon as possible, no later than 72 hours): Under RSA 161-F:46 and He-E 701.03, BAAS initiates a protective investigation no later than 72 hours after receiving the report. Cases involving imminent danger are investigated immediately.

A BAAS protective services worker contacts the alleged victim, visits the home or facility, interviews witnesses, reviews medical records, and evaluates the living situation. The worker assesses whether the adult is in danger and whether intervention is needed.

Finding: After the investigation, BAAS issues one of three determinations:

• Substantiated — credible evidence supports the allegation
• Unsubstantiated — insufficient evidence to confirm the allegation
• Unfounded — the evidence contradicts the allegation

If the case is substantiated, BAAS develops a protective service plan. This might include connecting the adult with community services, arranging alternative living situations, referring the case to law enforcement for criminal prosecution, or petitioning the court for an emergency guardianship under RSA 464-A.

Reporter Protections

New Hampshire law provides strong protections for people who report in good faith. Under RSA 161-F:47, anyone who participates in good faith in making a report or providing information is immune from civil or criminal liability — even if the investigation ultimately finds the allegation unsubstantiated. This protection exists precisely to encourage reporting. BAAS understands that family members and neighbors are not investigators; their job is to flag concerns, not to prove them.

If you file a report and the alleged abuser is a family member, BAAS will not disclose your identity to the subject of the report without your consent, except when required by court order.

When the Situation Involves a Care Facility

If the suspected abuse or neglect is happening in a licensed nursing home, assisted living facility, or residential care home, BAAS coordinates its investigation with the Health Facilities Administration (HFA), which handles facility licensing and compliance under He-P 803, He-P 804, and He-P 805. You can also file a complaint directly with HFA at 1-800-621-6232.

For facility-based concerns, the New Hampshire Long-Term Care Ombudsman program at (603) 271-4375 provides an additional layer of advocacy. Ombudsman staff can investigate complaints about care quality, resident rights, and discharge disputes in licensed facilities — and they work independently from the facility's management.

The Connection to Home Care Planning

Adult protective services investigations frequently uncover situations where an aging parent has been quietly declining at home without adequate support. A BAAS investigation might be the event that surfaces the need for formal home care — whether through the Choices for Independence (CFI) Medicaid waiver, ServiceLink options counseling, or private-duty care.

If you are navigating a situation where a parent's safety at home is deteriorating — or where a BAAS investigation has revealed gaps in their care — the Aging in Place in New Hampshire guide walks through the full process: Medicaid eligibility thresholds, the Medical Eligibility Assessment, ServiceLink intake, and the document preparation needed to get home care services approved before the situation becomes a crisis.

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