Services for Children, Families and Adults

Adult Protective Services

The Adult Services Unit provides a variety of specialized services to adults ages 18 and up whose condition or circumstances make them vulnerable to abuse, neglect and exploitation by others.

Referrals are accepted for individuals over 18 year of age, are physically or mentally impaired, who are not capable of protecting themselves from hazardous situations or abuse, who have unmet essential needs and who have no one willing to assist them. Adult Services caseworkers will complete an assessment and create a case plan for each individual.

Successful service delivery relies upon community resources and requires collaboration among health and mental health services, programs for the aged, law enforcement, financial institutions, legal agencies and the courts.

Adults have the right to make their own decisions. They may choose to accept or refuse the services that are offered.


Adult Services staff also provide Information and Referral service to all Livingston County residents, helping individuals find resources to meet their needs either within the Department of Social Services or elsewhere in the community.

Child Protective Services

Child Protective Services investigates allegations of child abuse and neglect that pertain to Livingston County residents and that are reported to the State Central Registry (SCR). The caseworker will investigate the facts, assess risk and safety and when necessary develop case plans that remove children from harmful family situations.

Preventive Services

Preventive Services caseworkers work with families by providing case management and supportive services in crisis to prevent the need for foster care placement. These services could include home management, parenting skills, social adjustment, and education / employment counseling.

The Department of Social Services has caseworkers co-located in some Livingston County primary schools. Having caseworkers inside schools assists in identifying children and working with families at the earliest stages of issues.

Foster Care & Adoption

Caseworkers provide rehabilitation services to families whose children are in foster care; recruits and investigates foster homes for children needing temporary care out of their home.

Provides services for adoptable children awaiting adoptive placement and/or placed for adoption, and recruits and investigates adoptive homes for children needing permanent families.