While reflecting the basic principle that society has an obligation to provide protection and care for victims of abuse and neglect, the recommendations also show concern for the rights of the individual to self-determination and due process of law. Substantive elements recommended to be included in a State protective services and abuse reporting law are listed. The model for a protective services system for the abused elderly does not describe a single client pathway for providing services, but provides guidelines believed essential for an effective response to the problem of elder abuse. General systems characteristics of the model are preplanned individual case responses which will enable the system to respond quickly and properly to the type of case confronted and the capacity for a coordinated, interdisciplinary response by the services system to both the emergency and chronic conditions exhibited by these cases. Core services should include protective services worker, case assessment team, primary health care, legal services, homemakers/home health aide services, transportation, nutrition, financial assistance, police, emergency services, and followup. Additional supportive services would be emergency shelter, foster care, and day care for elders. The model also includes certain uniform elements of a statewide adult protective services system.