What is an elder fraud prevention and response network?
A network brings together key stakeholders and resources to prevent, detect, and respond to elder financial exploitation in the community.
We did research to understand existing networks and how they can enhance collaborative efforts to fight elder financial exploitation. Generally, networks can help:
- Increase coordination and improve collaboration among responders, service providers, and other relevant stakeholders
- Improve the prevention, detection, reporting of, and response to elder financial exploitation
- Fight financial exploitation through community education, professional training, and case review
- Serve as the catalyst for new networks to ensure statewide coverage
Examples of network goals and action steps
Networks vary from community to community, but often prioritize similar goals to protect older adults.
Case review and resolution
- Implement a confidentiality protocol for network members to use during case review
- Establish a working relationship with the local district attorney’s office
- Advocate for the assignment of a deputy district attorney to regularly meet with APS to refer cases for criminal prosecution
Community education and outreach
- Develop and implement fraud prevention education for seniors and caregivers
- Distribute educational materials to senior centers, senior living communities, financial institutions, medical offices, libraries, and other locations
- Develop public service announcements
Local or regional protocols and response
- Implement confidentiality protocols to use during case review
- Develop a common understanding of how different disciplines define “capacity”
- Develop and distribute a list of community resources and key contacts for issues related to elder financial exploitation
Policy development
- Encourage community leaders to prioritize the issue of elder financial exploitation
- Support state funding for agencies addressing elder financial exploitation
- Advocate for the creation of safe, accessible shelters for older adults experiencing domestic violence
Cross-training
- Develop role-specific professional training for financial institutions, attorneys, healthcare professionals, and social services providers
- Create a referral guide of network members that includes each member’s organization and its role
- Secure funding to create a day-long training for criminal justice professionals
- Encourage a banker’s association to provide ongoing training for financial professionals
- Host annual conference to share promising practices, case studies, and innovation
- Develop a common understanding of how different disciplines define “capacity”