Humboldt County declares June Elder Abuse Awareness Month

Elder abuse in Humboldt County is showing up in the daily work of Adult Protective Services, which now receives an average of 118 reports of suspected abuse and neglect each month. The Board of Supervisors used its June 9 meeting to proclaim June 2026 as Elder Abuse Awareness Month, tying the action to the county’s Safe & Healthy Communities goal as older adults make up nearly 26% of Humboldt County’s population.

County leaders said the problem is broader than physical harm. Humboldt County Adult Protective Services says abuse can include physical, psychological, financial and sexual abuse, along with neglect, abandonment and self-neglect. Warning signs can include changes in behavior or physical condition, unpaid bills, cluttered or filthy living conditions, and harassment. The county’s proclamation also described elder abuse as widespread and significantly underrecognized, underreported and underprosecuted.

The new monthly report average offers a snapshot of how the issue has moved over time. Humboldt APS said it received 105 reports of suspected abuse or neglect each month in 2022, 132 a month in 2023, and 118 a month in 2026. That pattern suggests the caseload remains steady and substantial even as county outreach continues around June 15, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

Keri Schrock, the county’s Adult Services Program Manager, said awareness has to extend beyond the annual proclamation. “Awareness must continue every day,” Schrock said, adding that residents can help by checking in on elders in their family and community.

Families who suspect abuse or neglect can call Humboldt County DHHS Adult Protective Services at 707-476-2100 or toll free at 866-527-8614. Reports can also be made through California’s statewide Adult Protective Services hotline at 1-833-401-0832, which is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. California says every county has an APS agency for adults 60 and older and for dependent adults ages 18 to 59 who are disabled.

Humboldt County has paired the June campaign with outreach in public places, including tabling at the Arcata Farmers’ Market and events at the Humboldt County Library’s Eureka branch. In past years, the county also organized a community walk that began at Sixth and C streets and went to Halvorsen Park and back, part of an effort to make elder abuse easier to recognize before a hidden problem becomes a crisis.