The Disabled Persons Protection Commission, or DPPC, is an independent state agency created to protect adults with disabilities, between the ages of 18 and 59, from abuse or neglect by their caregivers. The DPPC receives and reviews reports of abuse through its hotline at 1-800-426-9009. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including holidays. Any individual can make a report to the hotline if they suspect that an adult with a disability is being abused by their caregiver.
When a hotline report is screened in, a civil investigator conducts an investigation, determines whether abuse should be substantiated or not, and provides protective services recommendations for the victim. At the same time, the State Police Detective Unit (SPDU), located at DPPC, reviews all incoming reports to determine the presence of criminal activity, and conducts criminal investigations alongside DPPC’s civil investigations. DPPC’s Sexual Assault Response Unit also reviews incoming cases for sexual abuse and works directly with survivors, provide referrals and other support.
Organizations who want more training on how to report to DPPC, what cases to report, and how to recognize signs of abuse, can contact dppcinfo@massmail.state.ma.us to schedule an in-person or virtual training session. Individuals can also register for one of DPPC’s regularly scheduled virtual trainings at www.dppcmandatedreportertraining.eventbrite.com, held on the first and third Thursday of the month from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
