The Elder Justice Coalition participated in activities related to the 10th anniversary of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. On June 15 the EJC hosted its annual Congressional reception for WEEAD in Washington, DC. Special guests at the reception included Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO); Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM); Kathy Greenlee, Administrator of the Administration for Community Living; and Nora Super, Executive Director of the 2015 White House Conference on Aging. The reception which drew nearly 100 advocates and leaders in elder justice was sponsored by Wells Fargo Advisors.
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| | Sen. Claire McCaskill (third from left), ACL Administrator Kathy Greenlee (second from left), EJC Nat'l Coordinator Bob Blancato (fourth from left), and members of the EJC Leadership |
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Sen. Charles Grassley (right), EJC Nat'l Coordinator Bob Blancato (second from right), Wells Fargo Advisors Senior VP and Dir. of Regulatory Affairs and Elder Client Initiatives Ron Long (center), and EJC Leadership
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| | Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (center), ACL Administrator Kathy Greenlee (right), EJC Nat'l Coordinator Bob Blancato (second from left), and members of the EJC Leadership |
Earlier on June 15, EJC National Coordinator Bob Blancato addressed the first Global Summit for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day held at the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, DC. The summit was organized by the National Adult Protective Services Association, the National Center on Victims of Crime and the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. In his remarks, Blancato recalled important legislative and regulatory victories achieved by advocacy but said much more needed to be done. This includes funding for the Elder Justice Act ensuring that some of the $1.6 billion in new funding appropriated by Congress under the Victims of Crime Act be directed to crime victims of elder abuse.
Also on June 15, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced and the Senate passed S. Res. 202, honoring World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The President issued a Proclamation in honor of the day as well. Finally, on June 16, a number of Elder Justice Coalition members attended a White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA) event on Elder Justice. National Coordinator Bob Blancato said the event was "constructive and educational, providing attendees with an opportunity to learn about the important and ongoing Administration-wide initiatives on elder justice while also providing an opportunity to give input into potential recommendations for the main White House Conference on Aging, scheduled for July 13."
Among those speaking at the WHCOA event were Cecelia Munoz, Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council; Nora Super, Executive Director of the WHCOA; Caroline Bettinger-Lopez, White House Advisor on Violence Against Women; and Kathy Greenlee, Administrator of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Assistant Secretary for Aging. |
