Elder Abuse Advocacy and Outreach Program

Effective November of 2000, the Victim Witness Assistance was awarded the Elder Abuse Advocacy and Outreach Program Grant from the Office of Criminal Justice Program. In response to the rising numbers of suspected elder abuse reports received by the Department of Social Services Adult Protective Services as well as the rising elder population, the Office of Criminal Justice has funded two part-time Victim Advocates to respond to the needs of victims of Elder Abuse. One advocate is assigned to the North County office and one is assigned to South County. The purpose of the program is to not only provide comprehensive advocacy services to victims of crime, but also to provide community outreach and education regarding the issue of elder abuse, how to report suspected abuse, and services available in the community. The advocate in South County has been teamed with a designated prosecutor and investigator, forming a vertical Elder Abuse Unit to handle the cases from the time of filing to disposition.

For information on Elder Abuse Click here.