Help with navigating elder care issues in North Carolina

NC County Elder Care Resources: Find Help in Your County

North Carolina's 100 counties each run their own DSS office, Adult Protective Services unit, and Clerk of Superior Court. Find your county below for the exact contacts your family needs.

Find Your County

Hover or tab through the map, or use the list to find your county.

Alamance→Alexander→Alleghany→Anson→Ashe→Avery→Beaufort→Bertie→Bladen→Brunswick→Buncombe→Burke→Cabarrus→Caldwell→Camden→Carteret→Caswell→Catawba→Chatham→Cherokee→Chowan→Clay→Cleveland→Columbus→Craven→Cumberland→Currituck→Dare→Davidson→Davie→Duplin→Durham→Edgecombe→Forsyth→Franklin→Gaston→Gates→Graham→Granville→Greene→Guilford→Halifax→Harnett→Haywood→Henderson→Hertford→Hoke→Hyde→Iredell→Jackson→Johnston→Jones→Lee→Lenoir→Lincoln→Macon→Madison→Martin→McDowell→Mecklenburg→Mitchell→Montgomery→Moore→Nash→New Hanover→Northampton→Onslow→Orange→Pamlico→Pasquotank→Pender→Perquimans→Person→Pitt→Polk→Randolph→Richmond→Robeson→Rockingham→Rowan→Rutherford→Sampson→Scotland→Stanly→Stokes→Surry→Swain→Transylvania→Tyrrell→Union→Vance→Wake→Warren→Washington→Watauga→Wayne→Wilkes→Wilson→Yadkin→Yancey→

Why County-Level Resources Matter

North Carolina has 100 counties, and elder care resources are organized at the county level. I learned this the hard way — you can't call a statewide number and get anywhere. You have to know your own county's Clerk, your own county's DSS, your own county's APS unit. Here's how it breaks down:

Guardianship and legal proceedings are filed with the Clerk of Superior Court in the respondent's county of residence. There is no statewide guardianship court — each county's Clerk handles these cases independently.

Medicaid and social services are administered through each county's Department of Social Services. While Medicaid is a state-federal program, applications are processed locally, and caseworkers are county employees.

Adult Protective Services is operated by each county's DSS. If you are concerned about an elderly or disabled adult in your county, you report to your county's APS unit.

Area Agencies on Aging are regional organizations — 16 cover all 100 NC counties — that coordinate services for older adults including meal programs, in-home assistance, transportation, caregiver support, and information and referral.

What You'll Find on Each County Page

Each county page on this site includes:

  • Clerk of Superior Court contact and link to the NC Courts directory (for guardianship filings)
  • Department of Social Services address and main phone number
  • Adult Protective Services phone number (for reporting concerns about an elderly or disabled adult)
  • Area Agency on Aging serving that county — name, phone, and website
  • Links to statewide resources relevant to families in that county

Statewide Resources

NC DHHS Local DSS Directory Find DSS offices for all 100 NC counties, including mailing addresses and phone numbers. ncdhhs.gov/divisions/social-services/local-county-dss-offices

NC Courts — Clerk of Superior Court Directory Contact information for every county's Clerk's office. nccourts.gov

NC Division of Aging and Adult Services Resources, programs, and AAA directory. ncdhhs.gov/divisions/aging

NC DHSR — Care Facility Search Search and compare licensed care facilities statewide. ncdhhs.gov/divisions/health-service-regulation

Legal Aid of NC Free civil legal help for qualifying NC residents, including elder law matters. legalaidnc.org

NC Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service Referrals to qualified attorneys including elder law specialists. 1-800-662-7660 | ncbar.org

The information on this page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a licensed North Carolina attorney for guidance specific to your situation. Learn more about ElderAdvocate.law.