Adult Services


The Adult Services Unit provides a variety of social work services to elderly and disabled adults in our county including, but not limited to:

  • Adult Intake Services utilizes an intake screening process relating to all calls received concerning our adult population, in order to meet the needs of the Disabled and Elderly in Cleveland County.
  • Protective Services for Adults responds to calls for the evaluation of concerns regarding abuse, neglect, self-neglect or exploitation of elderly and/or disabled adults and the mobilization of services to meet essential service needs.
  • Adult Care Home Monitoring provides monitoring and consultation to our Adult Care Homes as well as licensing, relicensing, and investigation of complaints.
  • Adult Placement Services provides placement services for disabled and elderly adults in need of adult care homes intermediate or skilled nursing care.
  • Adult Day Care/Day Health provides monitoring of Adult day care/day health for disabled and elderly adults.
  • At-Risk Case Management provides Case Management services to elderly and disabled adults that may be at risk of being placed in long term care. The goal is to maintain the individual in the home by implementing services to ensure their needs are met.
  • Guardianship Services are provided by the Department to elderly/disabled individuals when no suitable alternative is available.
  • In Home Aide Services provides services geared to assisting elderly and disabled individuals in remaining in their own homes for as long as possible.
  • In-Home Assessments for Services(Adult Referrals) provides social workers to assess an individual’s situation, develop a plan of service and make appropriate Community Referrals to assist disabled and elderly adults.
  • Representative Payee Services provides payee services either requested by the client or by the Social Security Administration to assist elderly and disabled adults that require assistance with money management.
  • Services for the Visually Impaired provides services to adults in the community by assisting them with visual aides.
  • Special Assistance In Home Services provides services to qualified Medicaid eligible adults in the home as an alternative to assisted living placement.

To report the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult: Call the Cleveland County Department of Social Services during normal business hours (8 am - 5 pm) at (980) 484-6400 and speak with the Adult Services intake worker.

If you need to make a report in Cleveland County after business hours, on a weekend or a holiday, call Cleveland County Communications at (704) 484-4822. The dispatcher will take your contact number and an after-hours social worker will call you back.

Additionally, reports may be made in writing by mailing your information to the Cleveland County Department of Social Services, or in person by coming to the Department during normal business hours.

Silver Alert Program

North Carolina has established a system to quickly notify the public about missing endangered adults that suffer from dementia or other cognitive impairments. Click on NC Silver Alert to learn more about the program.

Licensed Nursing Homes and Rest Homes

The State of North Carolina maintains a listing of licensed Adult Care Homes/Homes for the Aged. You can view the listing by clicking here.

For more information regarding any of our Adult Service Programs, please contact Tom Ensley at (980) 484-6400.