Complaints about a licensed adult care home or family care home anywhere in North Carolina, including Apex, go to DHSR's Complaint Intake Unit at 1-800-624-3004 (in-state) or 919-855-4500, staffed weekdays 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. except holidays. DHSR's Complaint Intake Unit often forwards complaints about specific resident conditions to the local county Department of Social Services for investigation, since Adult Protective Services in NC is county-administered.
What this means in practice
For a family in Apex — a Wake County town relying on nearby WakeMed Cary and UNC Health facilities — a care-quality concern at a licensed adult care home has two possible entry points that often overlap: DHSR's statewide Complaint Intake Unit, which handles licensing-related complaints, and Wake County Human Services Adult Protective Services, which investigates allegations of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of the resident specifically. In practice DHSR frequently routes conditions-of-care complaints about a specific facility to the county DSS for on-the-ground investigation, so calling the state number is a reasonable first step even if the matter ultimately gets handled locally. Do not wait on either channel if there is immediate danger — call 911 first.
Related questions
- How do I check if an assisted living community in Cary is actually licensed?
- Does North Carolina license assisted living facilities as Type A, B, or C like some other states?
- What's the difference between a 'family care home' and a regular adult care home in Durham?
- What has to be disclosed if a memory care unit in Wake Forest calls itself a 'Special Care Unit'?
- How do I find inspection reports and violation history for a nursing home in Durham?
- Is the same state agency in charge of licensing both nursing homes and assisted living communities in Raleigh?
- What are DHSR's complaint line hours, and does it cover a facility in Fuquay-Varina?
