A practical guide for reporting suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, unsafe care, or law-enforcement misconduct affecting disabled people in San Mateo County.
Emergency: If someone is in immediate danger or needs urgent medical help, call 911. This guide is not an emergency service.
Different offices handle different settings. You can use more than one path when appropriate.
For a dependent adult who may be experiencing physical, emotional, sexual, financial abuse, neglect, or self-neglect.
San Mateo elder & dependent adult abuse information ↗When unsure: Start with San Mateo County Aging and Adult Services information and ask which reporting channel applies.
For concerns about a San Mateo County department, division, or service, including care connected to county programs.
County Executive’s Office complaint form ↗The Clerk of the Board accepts public complaints against county departments, divisions, and services.
For alleged misconduct, harassment, discrimination, excessive force, retaliation, or inaccessible treatment by law enforcement.
San Mateo County Sheriff complaints ↗Daly City Police Professional Standards ↗An agency complaint unit is within the agency. Ask how your complaint is accepted, investigated, and protected from retaliation.
For help understanding disability rights, reasonable accommodations, advocacy options, or whether an organization may be able to assist.
Disability Rights California intake ↗Its intake line is 1-800-776-5746. Representation is not guaranteed.
Start with the office connected to the setting. Keep a record of who you contacted and what they told you.
| Concern | First place to check | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Dependent adult abuse or neglect | San Mateo Health elder & dependent adult abuse | Which hotline or report route applies to the person’s age, disability, living situation, and immediate safety? |
| County service or department | County Executive’s Office complaint form | How is the complaint assigned, and how will accessibility requests or retaliation concerns be handled? |
| Sheriff personnel | Sheriff complaint channel | How do I submit, receive a reference number, and request a reasonable accommodation? |
| Daly City police personnel | Professional Standards Unit | How do I submit a personnel complaint and document a concern about retaliation? |
| Federal civil-rights concern | U.S. DOJ Civil Rights Division | Does the issue fit the federal civil-rights reporting form, and what information should be included? |
This is a moderated story project in progress. Submissions are reviewed before anything could appear publicly. A story here would never replace an official complaint.
Share only what you can safely share. The first version of this form prepares a submission on your device; it does not publish or send it automatically.
Use plain facts. You may leave your name and contact information blank.
Before a future public version accepts submissions, it should use a secure server, spam protection, human moderation, a correction and takedown process, a clear privacy policy, and a way to report safety concerns. Stories would be edited only for privacy, clarity, and safety, with the author’s consent.
Write what you know, label what you heard from someone else, and preserve original documents safely.
Ask for a communication method, interpreter, support person, extra time, accessible format, or other reasonable accommodation that helps you report safely. Be specific about what you need and keep a copy of the request.
If a process is inaccessible, record that barrier and ask the office who handles accommodation concerns.
Before sharing medical, disability, immigration, or other sensitive information, ask who can access it, whether disclosure is required, and how it will be used.
Write down threats, pressure, changed conditions, or adverse treatment after a report. Ask the receiving office how retaliation is addressed.
You may choose to have a trusted person help organize facts or attend a call. Confirm the office’s rules before sharing another person’s private information.
Save this page, open the official source, and keep your own follow-up record.