Summary:

This webinar introduces a course, Finding the Right Fit: Decision-Making Supports and Guardianship, which provides introductory information and guidance on finding supports to protect the rights of individuals to make their own decisions by addressing the following:

• Supporting someone in making their own choices about health, money, and lifestyle.
• Discovering ways to exercise independence.
• Deciding whether to become a guardian or conservator, and how to support a person’s self-determination and decision-making as a guardian or conservator.
• Preventing and addressing the risk of abuse, neglect, and exploitation that is present with any of the above options.

Summary:

Bankers, brokers, and investment advisors are often some of the first trusted parties to see signs of financial exploitation. This presentation will support the work already done by financial services members and provide additional information about how to access training programs and support for tellers and other financial professionals who want to report financial exploitation and work collaboratively with others in their communities to prevent it

Summary:

This webinar provides an overview of some of the factors that are contributing to the opioid epidemic among elders and looks at SAMHSA's approach to working with tribal organizations on opioid misuse. Other topics discussed include resources and funding streams available to tribal organizations to assist them in identifying and addressing opioid and other substance use in their efforts to reduce the harmful effects of misuse. 

Summary:

This webinar explores the intersection of elder abuse and public health in tribal communities with a special focus on the barriers and facilitators to health, wellness, and treatment.

Summary:

Host Maria Shumar and presenter Gina Bohr, Program Analyst, Pension and Fiduciary Service, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, discuss the various Veterans Benefits Administration programs, and the protections and preventive measures an older adult can put in place. The webinar also addresses how to respond after there is an incident of abuse.

Summary:

EMTs and Fire and Rescue are on the frontlines of rural communities and have direct interaction with potentially vulnerable adults. This webinar explores professional resources for EMTs and Fire and Rescue Personnel to help identify possible signs of elder abuse and neglect, communicate with potential victims, identify and document evidence in the home or nursing facility, report suspected abuse, and develop and sustain a good working relationship with aging professionals. 

Summary:

This webinar discusses how your community might increase access to capacity assessments that can assist in cases where the determination of elder abuse may depend upon the older adult’s capacity.

Summary:

State prosecutors are invaluable to the cause of elder justice, particularly in states with large rural areas, but where can they turn for the support they need to effectively do their jobs? This webinar will explore ways to break down the silos by highlighting elder justice resources and training currently available to support their work.

Summary:

This webinar discusses the connection between early adverse experiences, often called "ACES," and the older adult population. The presenter discusses how past victimization can relate to future victimization later in life, provide an overview of the definition of trauma, review keys to recovery and stability, and discuss implications for law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim services.

Summary:

Presenters in this webinar discuss the concept of consent, which underlies a range of actions in criminal and civil law, including gifting money. In the context of financial exploitation, professionals, at times, make incorrect assumptions about consent, for example, possibly labeling a financial gift as a poor decision rather than the result of fraud or some other action. The issue of consent is increasing the complexity of these cases. Learn about the elements of consent, how to confirm consent, and how to distinguish consent from actions or conditions (such as diminished capacity) that negate consent.

Summary:

Presenters in this webinar discuss the prosecution of elder abuse, including financial exploitation, which is more common than ever before. In response to the increase in cases, Elder Justice Units are being adopted in state and local prosecution offices. Presenters describe the journey to create an Elder Justice Unit, finding support in the adage "If you build it, they will come" and will provide examples of two recent (closed) cases and how the Unit aided in those prosecutions.   

Summary:

Judge Karen Howze discusses the dynamics of elder abuse, relevant issues such as cognitive capacity, expert witnesses that may be required, reasonable courtroom accommodations, the advantages of elder abuse multidisciplinary teams, and the importance of judicial leadership on the issue of elder abuse. Judges play a critical role in adjudicating the wide array of elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation cases that come before them.  Elder abuse and fraud enter courtrooms both directly in civil and criminal cases, as well as indirectly (e.g., in the context of a guardianship proceeding).

Summary:

Nicole Sato, Deputy District Attorney, provides an overview of the role of a prosecutor at the MDT table. Learn how to strengthen collaboration with your team’s prosecutor by delving into their role, contributions, and professional perspective. The discussion includes the ethical responsibilities of a prosecutor and the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in the fight against elder abuse, as well as the prosecutor’s perspective on what makes a good case; what are their parameters on an MDT; what they get out of MDT collaborations and how best to collaborate; and what they contribute. 

Summary:

Julie Childs, J.D., Consultant to the U.S. Department of Justice Elder Justice Initiative, hosts a discussion with Elaine Dodd, EVP Fraud Division, Oklahoma Bankers Association, and Corporal Kim Lopez, Triad Coordinator, Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office, to demonstrate how banks and law enforcement can work together to combat elder financial exploitation and abuse. The Oklahoma Bankers Association and the Oklahoma Sheriff's Department Triad program formed a partnership in this effort, and the hosts share the successes, tips, and best practices learned from this collaboration.

Summary:

The rate of elder abuse is even higher for individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias than it is for the elder population overall. Professionals responding to an incident or a case involving elder abuse may encounter older adults with dementia. Learn how dementia impacts an elder abuse investigation and discover some of the best ways to respond effectively.

Summary:

A presenter from the Social Security Administration shares the latest on representative payees; an EJI representative talks about the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act and new resources being developed to better respond to elder abuse; an expert from the Administration for Community Living describes their guardianship grant programs and the importance of data collection for policy and programmatic enhancement; and the Deputy Director of the National Center on Elder Abuse presents on some of the latest trends and resources that will help you to better respond to elder abuse.

Summary:

This webinar discusses the benefits of civil legal assistance for victims of elder abuse. The merits of civil legal assistance are sometimes underappreciated, as a result of which elder abuse victims may not be referred for or receive civil legal services consistently. In this webinar, you will learn how and to whom to make referrals for civil legal assistance that do not conflict with your professional ethics (e.g., confidentiality) and the myriad ways in which civil legal assistance can aid older victims in recovering from their victimization.

Summary:

This webinar explores the benefits and positive impact achieved when Adult Protective Services (APS) collaborates effectively with crime victim services as partners in addressing elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation within communities. The webinar will provide a “no wrong door” access to assistance for older adult abuse victims and an overview of victim services and their intersection with APS, as well as tips, strategies, and resources for shared outreach and joint activities to address elder abuse within communities.

Summary:

This webinar introduces the Tribal Elder Protection Team Toolkit, a resource designed to assist tribal communities in developing tribal elder protection teams (EPT). The toolkit aims to help identify vested partners or potential EPT members to help respond to elder abuse in Indian Country. The speakers cover each section of the EPT Toolkit, how to develop a tribal EPT and Tribal Elder Protection Codes, selecting team members, and additional tips on culturally sensitive and appropriate practices commonly accepted in tribal communities. 

Summary:

This webinar highlights real-world solutions from an elder abuse case review MDT. The webinar reviews best practices for recruitment and ongoing engagement of team members, explores real-world examples of relationship- and trust-building strategies, and introduces a new MDT Guide and Toolkit documents, including a recruitment letter and statement of need.

Summary:

This webinar discusses how those on the front lines can assess and respond appropriately to calls from older adults who may have experienced elder abuse. Presenters include case examples to provide hotline workers tips on how to assist callers and direct them to relevant resources and services.

Summary:

This webinar discusses the importance and role of forensic interviewing. While effective forensic interviews of older adults are critical to successful elder abuse prosecutions, conducting interviews with older adults can present unique challenges, even to those with experience interviewing adult victims and witnesses. Learn more about these challenges and tips and techniques for conducting more effective witness interviews with older adults.

Summary:

Elder financial exploitation is a growing problem, and federal agencies are teaming up to enhance the response by law enforcement agencies and financial institutions. In this webinar, presenters from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network at the U.S. Department of the Treasury discuss a Joint Memorandum, issued on August 30, 2017, encouraging coordination among law enforcement agencies, financial institutions, and adult protective service agencies. The memo aims to raise awareness of the existence of Suspicious Activity Reports and the role they may play in aiding law enforcement when investigating elder financial exploitation cases.

Summary:

Collecting evidence is second nature for law enforcement officers; yet, collecting evidence in cases involving older adults who experience physical abuse or caregiver neglect can be extremely challenging. Cherie Hill, Detective, and Brian Foxx, Deputy City Attorney, from the City of Anaheim, California, team up to share their experience with collecting and using evidence in these cases. Learn about what types of evidence to look for, where to find the evidence, and how prosecutors use that evidence to convict offenders.  

Summary:

This webinar provides strategies for building capacity in faith communities to address elder abuse.

Summary:

The presenters of this webinar discuss victims, the offenders, and the crime scenes of elder homicides. Investigating elder homicides requires a multi-pronged approach. Learn how medical examiner’s information and forensic research has advanced the successful investigations of elder homicides, which are often undetected.

Note: Due to the graphic nature of this presentation, certain images have been removed from the PowerPoint prior to posting. For a full version of the PowerPoint and a link to the webinar recording, please email elder.justice@usdoj.gov.

Summary:

This webinar focuses on what Georgia is doing to catch criminals of an emerging crime of benefits trafficking, which targets older and disabled adults to gain access to their monthly benefits. Billions of dollars in state and federal funds are being stolen, leaving victims subject to various types of abuse, theft, and fraud. Hear from presenters how they are working together to fight this unique crime. 

Summary:

This webinar demonstrates two websites that focus exclusively on elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation, the Elder Justice website and the National Center on Elder Abuse website. Participants will learn about resources and training opportunities that can deepen their understanding of how to identify and respond to elder abuse. The Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program’s survey results on existing elder abuse training are discussed, as well. 

Summary:

This webinar focuses on the critical role EMTs have in helping to identify and report elder abuse and neglect. Specifically, the discussion addresses—

• Elder abuse laws in some jurisdictions.
• How EMTs can identify and document evidence of elder abuse.
• Advice on documenting potential elder abuse.
• The need to report elder abuse in the community and in facilities quickly.
• The critical role of EMTs on the Elder Justice Task Forces.

Summary:

This webinar presents some of the recent research related to the concept of “severity” in the study of elder abuse. Severity of elder abuse may be an indicator of the urgency and types of help needed by victims of elder abuse. Yet, severity is an understudied aspect of the field. The research presented informs both targeted screening of victims, interventions that serve to help victims, and a forensic tool for possible use in the prosecution of elder abuse cases.

Summary:

This webinar explores the most common types of legal arrangements and how they can be used to both protect and exploit older persons. Presenters will discuss issues such as the role of legal arrangements, particularly guardianships, in protecting older persons. Presenters will walk participants through several case studies to show common exploitative tactics; underscore the roles of capacity, consent, and undue influence; and offer recommendations on how to improve multidisciplinary responses to exploitation. 

Summary:

Are you wondering how to collaborate or improve coordination with federal law enforcement? Join Shane Winder and Donna Maddux as they describe a federal-state working group in Portland, Oregon, dubbed the Social Services Fraud Working Group, that investigates financial crimes against older adults. Learn how the small working group got started and then grew over the past several years. Today, the working group includes multiple state and federal agencies, local law enforcement, Adult Protective Services, and Aging Services, and works in tandem on important cases that benefit all older Oregonians. Learn how to develop a similar collaboration in your community.

Summary:

Through this webinar, participants will learn how to:

• Recognize situations where decisional capacity is relevant to elder abuse case management and resolution.
• Identify the factors to consider when evaluating an older adult’s decisional capacity.
• Understand the importance of maintaining a client-centered orientation when assessing decisional capacity. 

Summary:

Dr. Rosen is a practicing emergency physician and a researcher in elder abuse and geriatric injury prevention. His team is doing groundbreaking research on distinguishing physical signs and forensic markers of elder abuse from injuries and bruising related to falls in older persons. Dr. Rosen will discuss his research, a standardized protocol for photographing geriatric injuries, and a comprehensive classification system for visible injuries. His interdisciplinary work with nursing, social work, geriatrics, psychiatry, and radiology has significant implications for the prosecution of elder abuse and neglect cases.

Note: This webinar contains graphic (violent) images. Viewed discretion is advised.

Summary:

Financial exploitation cases are among the most difficult to investigate. Detective Nicole Freutel (City of Seattle, Elder Abuse Unit), who trains on financial exploitation both locally and nationally, will describe what law enforcement officers need to know to investigate these complicated cases. Because some of these cases involve complex financial transactions, it may be necessary to consult a forensic accountant. In this webinar, you will learn from forensic accountant Karen Webber how to follow the money to look for peculiar patterns that may indicate a crime. 

Summary:

This webinar provides information and examples of how Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds are being used to support services for victims of elder abuse. Information covered includes:

• An overview of how VOCA funding operates at the federal and state level.
• Clarifications in the VOCA Victim Assistance Rule that expands allowable uses of VOCA Victim Assistance funding by states.
• Examples of VOCA-funded elder abuse programs.

Summary:

This webinar presents findings from some of the forensic research on elder abuse and introduces a physician-friendly protocol for documenting physical abuse that is very useful for prosecutors if the case goes to trial.

Note: This webinar contains graphic (violent) images. Viewed discretion is advised.

Summary:

This webinar provides tips and tools to help you tackle the challenges associated with developing supportive collaborations, effective communications, and a solid foundation for teamwork. Topics covered include:

• Common barriers to effective collaboration.
• Overcoming communication challenges.
• Facilitation tips for coordinators. 

Summary:

This webinar provides a summary of some of the research and facts around elder abuse, combined with the perspective of a detective with extensive practical experience in responding to cases of elder abuse. Presenters describe the research and discuss how to assist law enforcement officers in better understanding their role, what to look for when on a call, and what community resources are available for suspected cases of elder abuse.

Summary:

This webinar reviews the use of brain imaging techniques and the latest research to describe how changes in brain structure affect financial decisionmaking, and the implications of the research for the legal system.

Summary:

This webinar provides a demonstration of EJI's new Multidisciplinary Team Guide and Toolkit, designed for anyone looking to create or grow a local elder abuse MDT, regardless of their experience with MDTs. The web-based Toolkit is enhanced for use on mobile devices and contains easy-to-download PDF sample documents and citations.

Summary:

This webinar features two elder abuse multidisciplinary team (MDT) coordinators who successfully implemented an MDT. The MDT coordinators discuss real problems and offer real world examples on how to make an elder abuse case review MDT work.

Summary:

This webinar highlights training materials and resources for state and local law enforcement officers available on ElderJustice.gov. The resources include—

• Elder Abuse Sample Protocols and State Statutes
• Training Resources on Investigating Elder Abuse
• State by State Reporting Obligations

Note: This webinar contains graphic (violent) images. Viewed discretion is advised.

Summary:

This webinar highlights how victim service providers can benefit from using the victim specialist web page at ElderJustice.gov to assist older victims, including access to many tools such as the following:

• Crime victim resources, hotlines, and links to training on elder abuse.
• Victims' Rights Guidelines and reporting obligations.
• "Ready-to-use" PowerPoint presentations with speaking guides for community outreach training.
• Webinars on what federal agencies are doing to help older victims.

Summary:

This webinar highlights training materials and resources available on ElderJustice.gov that help state and local prosecutors to prosecute elder abuse cases more effectively.

Summary:

This webinar introduces the U.S. Department of Justice Elder Justice Initiative's new website, ElderJustice.gov, and highlights the tools and resources that support professionals in the field of elder abuse.