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Elder Justice Coalition Creates Petition for Funding President's Elder Justice Initiative
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The Elder Justice Coalition created a petition on Whitehouse.gov this week to encourage the Obama Administration to make the President's FY 2015 budget request of $25 million Elder Justice Initiative a priority when speaking to Congress. Bob Blancato, National Coordinator for the EJC stated, "this is one of the many actions we are taking to make sure that Elder Justice funding will be in place this year. This is a grass roots campaign and the Administration needs to hear from all Americans that Elder Justice is a priority issue." The petition will need 100,000 signatures by May 7, 2014 in order to receive a response from the President.
The Elder Justice Initiative proposed in the President's budget includes $13.8 million dollars for Adult Protective Services, and would help create an APS National Data System and technical assistance as well as national demonstration grants to both enhance data systems and develop program standards and evaluation. It will also provide $11.2 million for research including elder abuse screening and will establish a better knowledge base about elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.
This Initiative will fund critical areas that need to be addressed. It is well documented that APS programs lack reliable data and guidance on conducting case investigations. In addition, there is a dearth of research in the area of elder abuse and little known about the risk and protective factors for both the victim and perpetrator or effective and evidence-based methods to reduce victimization. This APS National Data System and research for evidence-based practices will be a huge step for Elder Justice, but the public is needed to voice their support for the Initiative. To sign on to the petition, click here: http://wh.gov/lvXWd.
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