WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. /Florida Newswire/ — In October 2007 the Area Agency on Aging Palm Beach/Treasure Coast, Inc., FL Resource Center for Women and Children, Inc., Office of the State Attorney Fifteenth Judicial Circuit and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office collaboratively received funding from the Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women to provide enhanced training and services to end violence and abuse of women later in life.
Over the five year period of the grant, the following grant objectives were met:
· 6 staff members from the collaborative became certified as trainers to serve on a multi-disciplinary training team to train law enforcement on later life violence
· 22 law enforcement trainings were conducted for 435 law enforcement officers
· 3 Judges and 4 Prosecutors attended National Training/Workshops on Later Life Violence
· 3 staff members from the collaborative became certified as trainers to serve on a multi-disciplinary training team to provide direct service training for victim service and aging network professionals on later life violence
· 6 direct service trainings were conducted for 125 victim service and aging network professionals
· A Vulnerable Adult Protocol was developed to coordinate services of the law enforcement agencies within Palm Beach County, the State Attorney’s Office and the Department of Children and Families Adult Protective Services
· Advanced law enforcement training was conducted on “Elder Financial Exploitation Investigative Considerations and Strategies” with national experts Paul Greenwood, District Attorney and Harry Morgan, M.D. Thirty-six detectives and investigators from the various law enforcement agencies in Palm Beach County and one Judge attended. Evaluations were excellent and the training provided the impetus for PBSO to develop a committee of physicians to assist in cases of financial exploitation
· A direct service program (Fresh Start) piloted in January, 2012, provides enhanced services for domestic violence/sexual assault victims 50 years of age and older. To date, Fresh Start has served 104 victims/survivors through outreach, advocacy, financial assistance and facilitation of a peer support group. The project will continue through FL Resource Center for Women and Children.
· On September 28th attendees representing law enforcement, Adult Protective Services, Agency for Health Care Administration and the Attorney General’s Office participated in training which focused on Elder Death Investigations, establishing the foundation to create an Elder Fatality Review Team in Palm Beach County. Chief Forensic Investigator Rus Ruslander of the Medical Examiner’s Office District 15 served as MC and moderator. Chief Deputy Michael Gauger provided the welcome and introductions.
PHOTO CAPTION: Elder Death Investigation Training Chief Deputy Gauger.
