McAllen Senior AdvisorWho do I call about abuse or neglect in a McAllen nursing home or assisted living facility?
Call HHSC Complaint and Incident Intake at 1-800-458-9858 to report abuse, neglect, exploitation or a care problem in any licensed facility or by any licensed agency in Texas; in an emergency, call 911 first.
HHSC investigates complaints against nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, DAHS centers and home and community support services agencies, including home health, hospice and attendant agencies. Give the facility name, the resident's name, dates, times and the names of staff involved if you know them. You can ask that your name be kept confidential.
Who investigates abuse of an older adult living at home in the Valley?
Adult Protective Services (APS), part of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, investigates abuse, neglect, self-neglect and financial exploitation of older adults and adults with disabilities living in the community: call 1-800-252-5400 any hour, or report non-urgent cases online at txabusehotline.org.
The dividing line is the setting. If the person lives in their own home or a relative's home and is not being served by a licensed agency in the incident, APS handles it. If the problem involves a licensed facility or agency, HHSC handles it. Texas law requires anyone who suspects abuse, neglect or exploitation of an older adult to report it.
What does the Long-Term Care Ombudsman do for Hidalgo County residents?
The Long-Term Care Ombudsman program at the Area Agency on Aging of the Lower Rio Grande Valley sends certified staff and volunteers to advocate for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties, free and confidentially, at (956) 682-3481.
An ombudsman is on the resident's side, not the facility's or the state's. They help with care problems, rights questions, discharge notices, and family disputes with a facility, and they act only with the resident's permission. The statewide office answers at 1-800-252-2412. Ombudsmen do not investigate in the way HHSC does, so for suspected abuse, report to HHSC as well.
What happens after a complaint to HHSC?
HHSC triages each complaint by how serious and urgent it is, sends surveyors to investigate when warranted, and can cite violations, require a plan of correction and impose administrative penalties; substantiated findings later appear in the facility's record.
Penalties imposed on assisted living facilities show in TULIP's enforcement section with the rule cited, which is how they appear on our facility pages. Keep your own notes and copies of anything you send. If a resident is moved or discharged after a complaint, tell the ombudsman right away.
Side by side
| Call HHSC (1-800-458-9858) when | Call APS (1-800-252-5400) when | |
|---|---|---|
| Setting | The problem is in a licensed facility or by a licensed agency | The person lives at home or with family |
| Who | Staff, another resident or the facility's systems | A family member, caregiver, neighbor or the person themselves |
| Examples | Medication errors, neglect, unsafe discharge | Self-neglect, financial exploitation by a relative |
| Urgent | Call 911 first if someone is in danger | Call 911 first if someone is in danger |
Sources: Texas Health and Safety Code ch. 247 and 242; 26 TAC chapters 553, 554, 558 and 559; HHSC directories, TULIP and handbooks; CMS; CareScout; VA rate tables, as cited above. See our editorial standards.
