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The National Adult Protective Services Resource Center (NAPSRC) is a function of the US Administration on Aging through a grant to the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA).
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National Adult Protective Services Resource Center
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JOIN THE NAPSRC
MAILING LIST!
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Recent Webinars from the NAPSRC
Trauma-Informed Services for Elders with Abuse Histories
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Elder Abuse Decision Support System, Part ll: Live Demostration
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State Legislatures Address
Elder Abuse
MISSOURI
New legislation strengthens Missouri's law protecting seniors and persons with disabilities
Gov. Jay Nixon signed Senate Bill 689, which strengthens protections for seniors and persons with disabilities. The new law expands the definition of financial exploitation against seniors and persons with disabilities to include "undue influence". This change will give local prosecuting attorneys greater ability to go after those in a position of power who financially exploit senior citizens or persons with disabilities, including those with legal guardianship or power of attorney.
More information here.
COLORADO
Legislative session includes protections for the disabled
When the regular session of the General Assembly of the Colorado Legislature adjourned May 9, it left a legacy of two laws that are intended to protect people with disabilities and at-risk adults from harm.
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CONFERENCE CALENDAR
The First Texas Summit on Elder Financial Exploitation
Friday, August 3, 2012
United Way
50 Waugh Drive, Houston
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National Center for Victims of Crime 2012 National Conference
September 19 - 21, 2012
New Orleans, Louisiana
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October 2-4, 2012
Marriott Hotel and Conference Center,
Albany, New York
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October 16-18, 2012
Phoenix, Arizona
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December 4 - 7, 2012
Hyatt Fisherman's Wharf
San Francisco, California
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The National Adult Protective Services Resource Center (NAPSRC) is a project (Grant No. 90ER0002/01) of the U.S. Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), administered by the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA). Grantees carrying out projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Therefore, points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official Administration on Aging or DHHS policy.
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The NAPSRC Plans for Year Two
It's hard to believe that the first year of the National Adult Protective Services Resource Center is a few short months away. It's been a busy year at the Center and we're proud of our accomplishments thus far. Some of those accomplishments include:
- Several webinars on topics from professional safety in the field to restorative justice to trauma-informed services.
- Completion of a comprehensive, baseline survey of adult protective services nationwide which includes details on state training, budgets, population served, staffing and more (report release next month).
- Establishment of an APS listserv that provides peer support on a wide variety of topics and makes connections among state and local programs so that they can learn from one another.
- "Research to Practice" briefs linking cutting-edge research with everyday practice for APS professionals from front-line workers to administrators.
As the Center looks toward year two, we have begun discussions on what would be most beneficial for the field. Some of these ideas include:
- A report on caseloads, highlighting methods of measurement utilizing geography, acuity and specialization.
- Promising practices reports on innovative programs that work with law enforcement.
- Focused reports on how states administer training, abuser registries (and how they function), and more.
We would also like your help in determining our tasks for year two. What issues are you struggling with in the field? What resources would help you? What would you like to learn more about? Please take our very brief, three question survey to help us shape our second year.
Thank you for your assistance and all the work that you do to help victims of vulnerable adult abuse.
Kathleen Quinn Andrew Capehart
NAPSRC Director NAPSRC Assistant Director
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Elder Abuse Among Latinos Increases Says Study
A sobering new study by researchers from the USC Davis School of Gerontology finds that elder abuse in low-income Latino communities goes largely unreported.
More than 40 percent of Latino elders told Spanish-speaking interviewers that they had been abused or neglected in the last year - yet only 1.5 percent of victims said they had ever reported the abuse to authorities.
"Our study has revealed a much higher rate of elder abuse among the Latino community than had been previously thought," said Marguerite DeLiema of USC Davis, lead author of the study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. "This indicates that family solidarity within the Latino community does not necessarily protect older Latinos against elder abuse, as some research has suggested."
The researchers examined elder abuse that included physical or sexual abuse, psychological abuse, financial exploitation and caregiver neglect.
Read the full article here.
-Story by Suzanne Wu, University of Southern California News, July 19, 2012
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Bill to Protect Seniors from Neglect and Abuse by Guardians Advances in Senate
WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee voted 15-3 on Thursday to advance bipartisan legislation cosponsored by U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) to protect seniors and persons with disabilities from neglect and financial exploitation by improving oversight and accountability for court-appointed guardians and conservators.
"When we entrust the interests of our most vulnerable seniors to guardians and conservators, we need to be sure that trust is well placed," Senator Coons said. "There is no doubt that most court-appointed guardians are professional, diligent and respectful, but we cannot turn a blind eye to mounting reports about those who would take advantage of this trust for their own financial gain. This legislation will help increase accountability and oversight of those we trust with this important responsibility. I was proud that the Senate Judiciary Committee adopted the bill this week, and hope it will get a vote of the full Senate soon."
The Guardian Accountability and Senior Protection Act, which was introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), would provide support to states to implement programs to increase oversight of guardians and conservators. Specifically, the bill provides funding for state courts to assess the handling of proceedings relating to guardian and conservators, and then make the necessary improvements to their practices. The bill sets aside a portion of the funding for states seeking to implement or improve systems for conducting background checks on potential guardians and conservators. It also authorizes state courts to implement an electronic filing system in order to better monitor and audit conservatorships and guardianships.
A 2010 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) identified hundreds of allegations of physical abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation by guardians in 45 states and the District of Columbia between 1990 and 2010. The report reviewed 20 of these cases and found that guardians had stolen, or otherwise improperly obtained, $5.4 million from 158 incapacitated victims, many of whom were older adults.
More information on the Guardian Accountability and Senior Protection Act here.
-Courtesy HBABC Newsletter.
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Recommendations to Care for Growing Population of Older Adults with Mental Health and Substance Use Issues
July 10, 2012 - Today, the Institute of Medicine released a new report outlining the geriatric mental health and substance use workforce needs for the nation. The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry is pleased that the IOM report, The Mental Health and Substance Use Workforce for Older Adults: In Whose Hands?, documents the interaction between chronic physical health and mental health and the growing need for providers trained to care for older adults.
Read the full report here.
-Courtesy HBABC Newsletter.
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Statewide Elder Abuse Prevention Program Launches
"Smart Seniors," a statewide elder abuse prevention program designed to help seniors identify potential scams and abuses before they happen, and provide them with information they can use to stay safe and healthy in their daily lives was launched Wednesday by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
Nearly 1 in 5 People Have a Disability in the U.S., Census Bureau Reports
About 56.7 million people - 19 percent of the population - had a disability in 2010, according to a broad definition of disability, with more than half of them reporting the disability was severe, according to a comprehensive report on this population released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
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