Protective Services

• Adult Abuse—The sustaining of any physical injury by a vulnerable adult as a result of a cruel or inhumane treatment or as a result of a malicious act by any person.
• Child Abuse—The physical or mental injury of a child by any parent or other person who has permanent or temporary care or custody or responsibility for supervision of a child, or by any household member, under circumstances that indicate that the child's health or welfare is harmed or at substantial risk of being harmed
• Child Sexual Abuse—Sexual abuse means any act that involves sexual molestation or exploitation of a child by a parent or other person who has permanent or temporary care or custody or responsibility for supervision of a child, or by any household or family member. Sexual abuse includes whether physical injuries are sustained or not.

Signs of an Abusive Relationship

You may be in an abusive relationship if the person you love does the following:

• Keeps track of all your time
• Accuses you of being unfaithful frequently
• Discourages your relationships with family and friends
• Criticizes you for little things
• Angers easily
• Controls all finances and forces you to account for what you spend
• Humiliates you in front of others
• Makes comments about your body, clothing or hairstyle
• Destroys personal property or sentimental items
• Threatens to hurt you or your children

According to fire code law, a child under the age of eight must be in the care of a person who is at least 13 years old. Generally, it is left up to the parent's judgment to decide whether a child who is eight or older is mature enough to be home alone. Anytime you leave your child alone, be sure the child knows what to do in the event of an emergency.

Baltimore County Department of Social Services' Child Protective Services (CPS) may become involved if a child of any age is left alone and is placed at risk of harm because they are unable to manage on their own. CPS may also become involved if your child's babysitter or caretaker is unable to properly care for your child.

Helping children learn right from wrong and how to succeed in life. Parents have the right to discipline their children. Parents do not have the right to abuse or neglect their children.

Exploitation is any action that involves the misuse of a vulnerable adult's funds, property or person.

The observable, identifiable and substantial impairment of a child's mental or psychological ability to function.

Of an Adult

The willful deprivation of adequate food, clothing, medical treatment or rehabilitative therapy, shelter or supervision from a vulnerable adult.

Of a Child

Leaving of a child unattended or other failure to provide proper care and attention to a child by a parent or other person who has permanent or temporary care or custody or responsibility for supervision of a child under circumstances that indicate:

• The child's health or welfare is harmed or placed at substantial risk of harm
• Mental injury to the child or a substantial risk of mental injury

Of the Self

The inability of a vulnerable adult to provide for their physical or mental health and well-being.

For emergency Police assistance, dial 911.

• Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault—Phone: 410-828-6390 or 410-377-8111
• Family Crisis Center—Phone: 410-285-7496 
• Family Tree Family Stress Line—Phone: 1-800-243-7337 
• Family Violence Hotline—Phone: 410-828-6390
• House of Ruth—Phone: 410-889-7884, for Spanish: 410-889-7884
• Maryland Crisis Hotline—Phone: 1-800-422-0009 
• TurnAround—Phone: 443-279-0379

If you know a child who is being hurt physically or sexually, call the hotlines below.

• Call 911 to report an emergency involving child safety or an abandoned child. 
• Alice C. Tyler Village of Childhelp—A private, nonprofit, psychiatric residential treatment facility located in northern Virginia that specializes in the treatment of children and adolescents with mild to severe trauma, psychiatric disorders and neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Care Clinic at University of Maryland—Call 410-706-1703.
• Child Abuse and Neglect
• Childhelp National Child Abuse—Call or text 1-800-422-4453 to speak with a crisis counselor.
• Department of Social Services—Report suspected child abuse or neglect. Protective services for children provides assistance to families to ensure the safety and well-being of children.
  Phone: 410-887-8463 
• Family Tree—Provides free and confidential advice, community resources, and support for parents and caregivers. 
• Maryland Children's Alliance
• Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network

• Victim Information Notification Everyday (VINE)—Notifies victims when offenders are released from incarceration which provides them with a sense of security.
  Phone: 866-634-8463
• Multi-Ethnic Domestic Violence Project (MEDOVI)—Provides immigration legal services to foreign-born Maryland residents who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault/human sex trafficking. Language services are provided free.
  Phone: 410-396-3294
  Email: admin@wlcmd.org.  
• Protection Order Advocacy and Representation Project (POARP)—Provides a free attorney to represent you in protection order hearings if you have been abused by an intimate partner and your case is in Baltimore City, Baltimore County or Carroll County.
  Phone: 410-887-3162

Any concerned person who has reason to believe that an alleged vulnerable adult has been subjected to abuse, neglect, self-neglect or exploitation may contact Adult Protective Services at 410-887-8463. Concerned citizens may also contact the Police Department to initiate an investigation of the suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

Local Resources

• Maryland Access Point (MAP)—Phone: 410-887-2594
• Services for Seniors—Phone: 410-887-2754
• AARP Fraud Watch Network—Hotline: 1-877-908-3360

If you are a victim of abuse, help and resources are available through the following programs.

• Adelante Familia—A bilingual program at the House of Ruth Maryland that serves Spanish-speaking immigrants who are victims or at risk of being victims of intimate partner violence.
• CHANA—Offers a kosher safe house and has experience working within the Jewish arbitration process, in addition to the civil court system.
  Phone: 410-234-0030
• Department of Social Services 
  Phone: 410-853-3000
  Phone (for court advocate): 410-853-3030
  Phone (for domestic violence referral/abuser intervention program): 410-853-3080
• DOVE Program—Offers free and confidential services including crisis response, crisis intervention, case management, counseling, support and even essential needs and court accompaniment during legal proceedings. 
  Phone: 410-496-7555
• Family and Children's Services of Central Maryland
  Phone: 410-281-1334
• Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County—Provides safe shelter, transitional housing, victims advocacy and support groups, court accompaniment, lawyer representation, individual and family psychotherapy, trauma group therapy and intervention programs.
  Safe Shelter Phone: 410-285-7496
  Main Phone: 410-285-4357 
• Family Law Resources
• House of Ruth Maryland—One of the nation’s leading intimate partner violence centers, helping battered women and their children find safety and security.
  Legal Hotline: 888-880-7884
• State's Attorney's Office Family Violence Unit—Handles the initial case preparation of all domestic and family violence cases and the trial for most circuit court cases.
  Phone: 410-887-6610
• TurnAround—Offers individual and group counseling for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and abuse. Domestic violence services also include emergency and transitional housing for victims with their children and pets, legal services and referral, and abuser intervention programs.
  Phone: 410-377-8111