Kentucky law makes it a crime to abuse, neglect or financially exploit a vulnerable adult, and it requires anyone who suspects it to report. The law is not limited to older people. It protects any person 18 or older who, because of mental or physical dysfunction, cannot manage his or her own resources, carry out daily living activities or stay safe without help from others.
What the law covers
- Abuse means causing injury, sexual abuse, unreasonable confinement, intimidation or punishment that leads to physical pain or injury. Mental injury counts.
- Neglect means an adult cannot perform or obtain what is needed to maintain health or welfare, or a caretaker withholds services the adult needs.
- Exploitation means obtaining or using an adult’s money, assets or property by deception, intimidation or similar means, intending to deprive the adult of them.
A caretaker can be a relative, a paid aide, a facility or anyone else who has taken on responsibility for the adult’s care.
The duty to report
Every person who has reasonable cause to suspect that an adult has suffered abuse, neglect or exploitation must report it. That includes doctors, nurses, social workers, police officers, facility employees and caretakers. The report must be made immediately to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The adult’s death does not end the duty. A person who reports with reasonable cause is immune from civil and criminal liability for doing so. Knowingly or wantonly failing to report is a Class B misdemeanor.
How to report
- In an emergency, call 911.
- Call the Cabinet’s abuse hotline at 1-877-597-2331 or 1-800-752-6200.
- For non-emergencies, use the Cabinet’s online reporting system. Online reports are reviewed only during weekday business hours.
- Abuse or neglect of a patient can also be reported to the Attorney General’s tip line at 1-877-228-7384.
Give what you know: the adult’s name, address and age, what happened and who may be responsible. The Cabinet notifies law enforcement and investigates. The adult is offered protective services and may accept or refuse them.
Criminal penalties
The penalty depends on the offender’s state of mind and, for exploitation, the amount lost. Acting wantonly means consciously disregarding a substantial risk. Acting recklessly means failing to perceive one.
- Knowingly abusing or neglecting an adult: Class C felony, 5 to 10 years in prison.
- Wantonly abusing or neglecting an adult: Class D felony, 1 to 5 years.
- Recklessly abusing or neglecting an adult: Class A misdemeanor, up to 12 months in jail.
- Exploitation causing a loss of more than $300: Class C felony if done knowingly, Class D felony if done wantonly or recklessly.
- Exploitation causing a loss of $300 or less: Class A misdemeanor.
This article is general information about Kentucky law, not legal advice, and the law may have changed since it was last reviewed in October 2026. For advice about your own situation, talk to a lawyer.