Latest news with #AdultProtectiveServices
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Our View: Privatization of Adult Protective Services troubling
Privatization has a role in helping governments reduce costs. The Public Consulting Group, a Boston-based firm, has contracts across America to assist local governments with implementing health, human services and education programs. In our state, PCG-Indiana, as it is known, has made millions — nearly $35 million from the Department of Education alone — by working with such agencies as Indiana's Family and Social Services Administration, the Department of Workforce Development and the state's Department of Child Services. It is not unusual for PCG-Indiana to evaluate programs and offer a list of best practices to use. In the past few years, the firm has worked with FSSA's Division of Aging, which has, as one of its missions, the goal of preventing adults 18 and older from being victims of abuse, neglect and exploitation. That is the role of Adult Protective Services, which has investigators working out of 15 units based in the offices of county prosecutors through an agreement with the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council. The Madison County prosecutor's office covers a seven-county area with five investigators. But the contract between FSSA and the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council will expire at the end of June. So, with familiarity of the Division of Aging's operation, it is little surprise that PCG was chosen to fulfill another Aging Division contract. However, the surprise is in the three-year, $19 million contract, which will shift the operation of Adult Protective Services to PCG. Some local prosecutors are concerned about the loss of local control over Adult Protective Services. The new contract, under which PCG will farm out responsibilities to a market research firm, a staffing firm and another consulting firm, came as the state faces a budget shortfall. There were also signs of discord among prosecutors. Prior to the 2024 legislative session, some prosecutors told FSSA they would not renew their Adult Protective Services commitment. In turn, legislators permitted FSSA to contract with groups that could provide protective services. But that arrangement didn't provide consistency around the state. In 2023, Adult Protective Services units across Indiana received 20,990 service calls resulting in 11,635 cases. The remaining reports were resolved by phone or referred to other agencies. That year, there were 1,903 substantiated claims made for neglect or self-neglect. There is a definite, critical need for government-funded Adult Protective Services. It is unfortunate that prosecutors, perhaps at the misstep of only a few, have lost control and uniformity in the process. Based on PCG's record of serving as an intermediary between funding sources and state programs, it also seems that PCG might better be suited to making assessments and recommendations. PCG might not be equipped to field 20,000 calls, let alone respond with immediacy, compassion and competency in providing protections to local communities. Privatization has a role in helping governments reduce costs; however, the responsibility of protecting Hoosiers would be better fulfilled by organizations trained to safeguard the vulnerable.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
New Mexico officials spread awareness about elder abuse
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) — Sunday was Elder Abuse Awareness Day. State officials are continuing to try and spread the word. Story continues below Trending: New restaurant in Old Town takes over space left by beloved eatery News: New video shows fight before teen was shot and killed in Albuquerque Investigation:KRQE Investigates: Can CYFD finally end kids sleeping in offices? New Mexico News Insiders:The Crew Behind Swift Water & Arroyo Rescues In the last year, adult protective services has investigated over 6,400 cases of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation in New Mexico. According to Adult Protective Services Director Corey Roybal, these numbers are fairly common. These are some signs he says you can watch out for. 'Scratches and cuts. Bruises and burns that can't be explained in our elderly population. Change in behavior,' Roybal explained. 'Nutrition, dehydration, over or under medicating… those are signs of neglect… Exploitation is another thing that we want to make people aware of. Just the unjust or inappropriate use of adult's money.' Elder abuse or neglect can be reported online or by calling 1-866-654-3219. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Beaufort County DSS highlights elder abuse awareness month
WASHINGTON, N.C. (WNCT) — Beaufort County Department of Social Services observes Elder Abuse Awareness Month. June marks Elder Abuse Awareness Month and Beaufort County DSS is encouraging people to help raise awareness around elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. According to a press release, 'Beaufort County DSS receives and evaluates local reports of elder abuse to determine if protective services are needed. Social workers analyze the details of each case and work with the affected individual and their family to identify and prevent problems that contribute to elder abuse. A social worker can initiate court action as necessary to protect a vulnerable adult and mobilize essential services on behalf of the adult.' If you witness any form of elder abuse or suspect that such abuse has taken place, contact yourlocal DSS to file an Adult Protective Services report. Call 911 if there is an immediate need forprotection. APS reporting is kept confidential. Your name will not be disclosed if you report acase of elder abuse. To file an Adult Protective Services report in Beaufort County, call 252-975-5500 and request tospeak with Adult Services intake. Beaufort County DSS's physical address is 632 W. Fifth St.,Washington, NC 27889. Reporting cases of elder abuse is a critical step to help alleviate elder abuse and improve thelives of older adults. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Forbes
13-06-2025
- Forbes
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Most of us have probably heard of financial abuse of elders. Stories appear in local media about a caregiver ripping off the person they attend to at the elder's home. We hear of scammers who call lonely seniors on the phone and persuade them to give the scammer money. We get a bit of news about romance scams on the internet. But are we truly aware of the extent of the worldwide problem of people taking money from vulnerable elders? How Big Is The Problem? Vulnerable elders can be manipulated According to AARP, adults aged 60 and older lose an estimated $28.3 billion per year to financial exploitation. According to a report in Forbes and TrueLink Financial from 2015, the figure was $36.48 billion annually. We do know from many sources that the thefts are grossly under reported. That also means that if many cases are never reported to Adult Protective Services or law enforcement, they are never prosecuted. The scammers keep scamming and the theives get away with it. What Are We Doing To Stop This Abuse? Government, nonprofit organizations, and elder-focused resources continually attemtp to stop abuse by warning and educating consumers. They focus on the population that is targeted most: people over 60. There is a failure from that effort in that more recent reports suggest that the problem is growing, not decreasing. From my point of view, having personally interacted with, cared for or legally represented hundreds of elders, I can see why education of elders by itself has many limitations. Among them are the fact that the average older person is unlikely to visit the Federal Trade Commission website to learn about the latest scams and how to avoid them. This site is great at informing anyone about tech support scams, investment scams, business imposter scams, and romance scams. Good information but mostly never seen by the likely victims. Then we have events designs to raise awareness on the day designated, normally June 15 each year. In connection with that date, elder abuse awareness is promoted by numerous organizations. For example, the American Bar Association is sponsoring World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Call-in Event Friday, June 13. Lawyers and the public may call in and ask questions of Weinberg Center staff. The call in event is hosted by The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Center for Elder Justice and co-sponsored by The ABA Commission on Law and Aging, Elder Law Committee. The date is Tuesday, June 17 | 12-1 p.m. EDT. Anyone can join on zoom. Who Needs To Become More Aware? Elders may develop memory loss over time. It can be subtle at first. But eroding memory makes anyone more vulnerable to scams. Families may not immediately see the connection. They may not realize that an aging parent, living alone, socially isolated and perhaps with a few signs of dementia creeping in is a perfect target for scammers. They find these elders. They buy lists of names and contact information. They send those emails or make those phone calls. The effort is big business with organized, managed, paid people doing the dirty work. My warning is to families. Pay attention. Know how cleverly the thieves exploit loneliness, and any vulnerability they can find. They are well practiced at this. Your own aging loved one is not immune because of background, education, intelligence, nor experience with finances. Theives get to them at an emotional level, such as. 'It's an emergency, this is your grandson'. AI And Deep Fakes The 'emergency call' from a relative triggering an emotional response is sometimes thwarted by the elder who does not recognize the caller's voice. Now that deep fakes can be created by artificial intelligence, the fake caller can use the actual relative's voice, copied from any source, such as the relative's social media or other source. It's a terrifying prospect! Every family with an elder needs to be aware of this newer tactic, among the many successful tactics used in our country and around the world to steal billions from elders. The Takeaways Stories of older folks being ripped off are common. If you have an aging loved one, educate yourself. It is my belief that families may be able to stop exploitation better than public education about it, aimed at elders. Some aging parents don't use the internet. Some think it can't happen to them, they're too smart. Some have no awareness of the issue and how they, themselves can be targeted. On this moment of public focus on elder abuse awareness, it is wise for anyone with a close connection to an elder to get the latest information on how elder exploitation works. I can imagine a face to face talk with an aging loved one telling that person in one's own words about scams and raising awareness so that you, yourself become a trusted source of these warnings.
Chicago Tribune
13-06-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Asking Eric: Neither child will apologize
Dear Eric: I have three adult children. About three years ago there was an issue, and my oldest, Doug, and middle, Linda, disrespected each other. It wasn't a small issue, but (in my and my wife's opinion) it wasn't a huge offense. Neither will apologize. They refuse to speak to each other. We have tried many ways to try and bridge the gap, to no success. I'm not asking for them to kiss and make up. I'm just saying, 'Be cordial, be humane to other people in our house.' We host holiday meals, and birthday parties at our house, and this animosity really hurts and makes the dynamics difficult. Even seating at the table needs to be arranged. Recently, I told my wife, 'Only people that are willing to be humane and cordial will be invited to family meals.' My wife doesn't want to do that, in part she fears losing access to grandchildren. I said, 'Fine, for Easter meals they can be jerks but for Christmas they have to be cordial. I'll just go upstairs because it's too painful to be there. And you can't holler at me for being a jerk, because you don't holler at them for being jerks.' Am I asking too much? – Stressed Father Dear Father: You're not asking too much but be careful to not let your relationship with your wife become collateral damage to Doug and Linda's fight. Although you see this situation differently, you and your wife have the same goal of family harmony. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that a 'civil on Easter, acrimonious on Christmas' kind of split is going to work in practice. It's more likely that an honest, and plain-spoken appeal to your kids might have an impact. You've tried to get them to be civil to each other and to bridge the gap, but I wonder if you've told them, clearly and honestly, how painful their poor behavior is for you. They've made their anger everyone's problem and it seems they're the only ones who don't have to do anything special to accommodate it. That needs to stop. See how your wife feels about telling them, 'it's your business how you treat your sibling, but I'm asking you to stop involving me and your mother and the warm home we work so hard to create in this fight.' She may not go for it, and I understand. But by holding the threat of losing access to your grandchildren over you, your kids are showing an unnecessary amount of cruelty to people (you) who don't deserve it. That's worth being spoken about in the open. Dear Eric: My fiancé and I had to move back into his parents due to the crippling economy. My problem lies with his father. He is fully disabled and stubborn. He has been getting up to use the bathroom, which would be OK if he could do it properly. He can't; he urinates all over the floor. We have told him multiple times that, due to us having a child in the home, I always end up cleaning it, but I never get reimbursed. I'm seriously considering calling Adult Protective Services on grounds of self-neglect. He will not take showers as well and is a suicide risk. My issue is I want to call but I don't want to be a problem starter in a family that's already called Department of Children and Family Services on me out of pettiness. What would you do? – In-Law Struggles Dear In-Law: There are a few things that are concerning about the situation you've described. It sounds like your fiancé's father needs more comprehensive help than he currently has access to. If he's at-risk for suicide and has problems providing for his basic needs, then, yes, Adult Protective Services or a social worker should be brought into assist the family. This doesn't strike me as pettiness; the family is neglecting a vulnerable individual. I'm also concerned about the call made about you. Without more information, it's not possible to comment save for pointing out that this living situation is not, at present, healthy for you or for your child. You, your fiancé, and whomever else is in the house need to have a frank conversation about the tensions in the house and how you can all best work to protect the vulnerable people in the home, namely your fiancé's father and your child. It may be that this isn't the right place to raise a child right now. In your letter, I read frustration with your fiancé's father. That's understandable but as you address what's wrong in the house, try to focus on the bigger issue. He needs more support than he currently has, even if he doesn't want it, and those of you helping him need more support, too.
