The Archstone Foundation has committed $8 million over a five-year period with the goal of improving the quality and coordination of elder abuse and neglect services in the State of California.  The Initiative is divided into two major phases.  Phase I included 18 projects and ran from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2007.  Phase II supports 18 projects and runs from January 1, 2008 – December 31, 2010. 

Strategies

1.        Raise awareness and build skills of mandated reporters of elder abuse through training and education;

2.        Develop and enhance community-based multidisciplinary teams addressing elder abuse;

3.        Expansion of forensic centers and delivery of coordinated services to victims of abuse;

4.        Protect vulnerable older adults from financial abuse; 

5.        Improve legal protections of abused seniors by enhancing assistance and support within the court system;

6.        Standardize and improve Adult Protective Services’ data collection system and processes;

7.        Protect seniors placed in unlicensed long-term care facilities by supporting ombudsman services;

8.        Partner with the University of California, Irvine’s Center of Excellence in Elder Abuse and Neglect to advance the field of elder abuse prevention and protection locally, statewide and nationally;

9.        Convene funded programs to further develop leadership in the field, share best practices and lessons learned, and build synergies across programs.

To view the press release for Phase I projects, please click here.

To view the press release for Phase II projects, please click here.

Activities

Training and Education for Mandated Reporters

The Foundation is supporting four training and education projects across the state from San Diego to San Francisco for mandated reporters in the state of California.  The projects seek specifically to address the training needs for Adult Protective Service workers, first-line responders (including community health care workers, paramedics, and Emergency Medical Technicians), clergy, and dental students.

Multidisciplinary Team Development

The Foundation is supporting four Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs) in California.  MDTs include representatives from the medical, psychosocial, and legal aspects of addressing elder abuse and neglect.  Projects in this category include specialized MDTs, such as teams that focus on financial abuse cases, also known as Financial Abuse Specialist Teams (FAST).

Forensic Center/Center of Excellence Models

The Foundation is supporting the development and continuation of four Elder Abuse Forensic Centers in California.  Forensic Centers seek to change the way in which cases of elder abuse are addressed by creating a collaborative team that consists of the following core elements: Adult Protective Services, medicine, law enforcement, and the Office of the District Attorney. 

Financial Protection

The Foundation is supporting the Home Lending Protection Project, a collaborative of partners focused on preventing and addressing abusive and predatory lending practices against seniors. The project created a universal screening tool, conducts community education, and provides social and legal services to redress abusive practices. 

Ombudsman Services

The Foundation is supporting a project in Los Angeles County to improve the unlicensed facility complaint investigation and resolution component of the state and federally mandated Long Term Care Ombudsman Program.

Systems Analysis and Implementation

The Foundation is supporting three projects to analyze and change system responses to elder abuse in California.  These three projects address data collection, navigation of the legal system, and court programs for victims of elder abuse. 

Convening, Technical Assistance, and Evaluation

Convening and technical support is provided by the Center of Excellence at the University of California, Irvine, and the Initiative-wide evaluation is being conducted by The Measurement Group.

Desired Outcomes

·         Increased training for mandated reporters

·         Increased medical, psychological, and social work assessments for elder abuse victims

·         Increased screening for financial abuse

·         Increased prosecutions of elder abuse cases

·         Improved systems to document and respond to elder abuse cases

·         Preserved assets for vulnerable seniors

·         Elder abuse and neglect identified as a priority in California communities