Adult abuse and neglect agencies and police contacts

British Columbia has laws to ensure every adult's right to self-determination and to provide support and assistance for people who are vulnerable to abuse or are no longer capable of making their own decisions.

The four acts that comprise the Adult Guardianship laws are:

• Representation Agreement Act
• Health Care (Consent) and Care Facility (Admission) Act
• Adult Guardianship Act
• Public Guardian and Trustee Act

For legal information, advice and assistance related to these laws, contact the agencies below.

• Alzheimer Society of BC - Dementia Helpline
  The Dementia Helpline is a service for people with dementia, their caregivers, family and friends.
• British Columbia Community Response Networks
• Community Response Networks are located in communities across B.C. They are diverse groups of concerned community members who come together to create a coordinated community response to adult abuse and neglect.
• British Columbia Centre for Elder Advocacy and Support (BCCEAS)
  BCCEAS works to prevent elder abuse and to provide assistance and support to older adults that are, or may be, abused and those whose rights have been violated. Call toll free at 1-866-437-1940 to access the Seniors Help and Information Line and the Elder Law Clinic.
• Community Care Facilities Licensing - Fraser Health
  The Community Care Facilities Licensing program is responsible for investigating every allegation and complaint, including abuse and neglect, submitted about our licensed community care facilities. To report, contact the local Licensing Officer in the care facility’s community.
• HealthLink BC
  A provincially-managed directory of health services accessible by the general public. Listings include those for reporting adult abuse and neglect. Call centre is managed 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can be reached by dialing 8-1-1.
• Lawyer Referral Service of the Canadian Bar Association
  The B.C. Branch of the Canadian Bar Association operates the Lawyer Referral Service, which provides you with consultation with a lawyer for up to 30 minutes for $25. No one who uses this service is under any obligation to retain the lawyer if they choose not to do so.
• Stop Family Violence
  The Public Health Agency of Canada provides a one-stop source for information on violence and abuse within the family.
• Nidus Personal Planning Resource Centre and Registry
  Nidus Personal Planning Resource Centre promotes the use of personal planning tools as an alternate to adult guardianship. For personalized help, contact them at info@nidus.ca or call 604-408-7414.
• The People's Law School
  The People’s Law School is a registered non-profit society that can help you learn about your rights and responsibilities under the law and provide free and impartial public legal education to British Columbians in all walks of life.
• Public Guardian and Trustee of British Columbia
  You can contact the Public Guardian and Trustee of B.C. when you are concerned that an adult is no longer able to manage their own, financial, legal, and personal care matters themselves or when you have concerns when a substitute decision maker is not making appropriate decisions on behalf of a mentally incapable adult.
• Victim Services - Government of B.C.
  The Government of B.C. supports a toll-free, province-wide telephone service called VictimLINK. VictimLINK operators provide information and referral services to all victims of crime and immediate crisis support to victims of family and violence. Services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, accessible by TTY (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) and provide interpretation services for all the major languages spoken in British Columbia.

• Abbotsford Police Department
• Delta Police Department
• New Westminster Police Department
• Port Moody Police Department

Visit the RCMP in B.C. website to find detachments in:  

• Agassiz RCMP
• Boston Bar RCMP
• Burnaby RCMP
• Chilliwack RCMP
• Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam RCMP
• Hope RCMP
• Langley RCMP
• Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows RCMP
• Mission RCMP
• Surrey RCMP
• White Rock RCMP