Score: +6 (7/1/1)

Humboldt County Grand Jury • 2021-2022

Silver Tsunami Warning:

Published: December 31, 2022 11 pages

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⚠️ Aviso de traducción: Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings and Recommendations 9 findings

Reporting elder abuse is needlessly difficult, which results in its underreporting.(R1, R2)

Related Recommendations (2)

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends all law enforcement agencies add a prominent elder abuse reporting link and phone number to APS and other appropriate agencies on their websites by December 31, 2022.(F1, F2) 12per multiple local government and non-profit agencies 10

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends APS and the District Attorney (DA) develop a multi-faceted marketing approach to educate seniors and the public in general about elder abuse and make the process of reporting easier. The plan should be developed by December 31, 2022 and fully implemented by July 1, 2023. (F1,F2, F3)

We can better protect seniors by making it as easy as possible for the public at large, and seniors specifically, to understand what elder abuse is and how to report it. (R1, R2)

Related Recommendations (2)

Adult Protective Services (APS) could do more to publicize elder abuse awareness. (R2)

Related Recommendations (1)

The Elder and Vulnerable Adult Services Team (EVAST), funded with Measure Z dollars, has significantly improved the prosecution and conviction rates for elder abuse cases. (R3)

Related Recommendations (1)

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the DA and APS continue their annual joint application for Measure Z funds for EVAST. (F4)

Governor Gavin Newsom has made available hundreds of millions of dollars in various programs and grants to address housing needs and homelessness in the State of California. Now is the time to actively pursue the many grant funding opportunities specific to senior homelessness. (R4)

Related Recommendations (1)

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends DHHS proactively expand efforts to identify, apply for and utilize housing and shelter funding for homeless seniors to take advantage of state monies. We also recommend DHHS present quarterly progress reports to the Board of Supervisors beginning June 30, 2023.(F5, F7)

Without a more accurate survey methodology than what is currently used by the Homeless Point in Time Count, many seniors who are homeless will not be counted.

No recommendations for this finding

There is a dire need for senior emergency housing and shelters in Humboldt County. (R4)

Related Recommendations (1)

We commend the professionals in Humboldt County, especially those in law enforcement and the various agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), who help combat elder abuse and senior homelessness.

No recommendations for this finding

We commend all the nonprofits and volunteers working on the frontlines of elder abuse and senior homelessness.

No recommendations for this finding

Commendations 2

CM1 Page 10

We commend all the nonprofits and volunteers working on the frontlines of elder abuse and senior homelessness.
CM2 Page 10

We commend the professionals in Humboldt County, especially those in law enforcement and the various agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), who help combat elder abuse and senior homelessness.

Agency Responses 2

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

Board of Commissioners of the Humboldt Bay, Recreation, and Conservation District

September 12, 2022 • 7 pages • 5 responses • Score: +1 (+2, 0, -1) View Details ▾

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5 responses to findings and recommendations

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Combating climate change and preparing for sea level rise have consistently been goals of the District since at least 2011. To formalize this commitment, the Board adopts the Resolution presented above to affirm the District's commitment to adapting to and mitigating the adverse effects of sea level rise and directing staff to make this commitment a priority in their planning efforts. Recommendation 2 - The Grand Jury recommends the Board of Supervisors along with elected officials from Eureka, Arcata, and the Harbor District form a Humboldt Bay SLR Steering Committee composed of senior member...

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

The Board implements this recommendation by adopting the Resolution presented above committing to District participation in a Steering Committee to discuss and provide direction regarding regional coordination on sea level rise adaptation and mitigation in the Humboldt Bay region. However, the Board questions whether the Steering Committee should include additional members beyond City, County, and Harbor District representatives. Ultimately, to be effective, regional collaboration must bring together all relevant partners and stakeholders. For instance, regional coordination on adapting the vu...

Adult Protective Services (APS) could do more to publicize elder abuse awareness. (R2)

Response: Disagree Score: -1

The Board of Commissioners of the Humboldt Bay, Recreation and Conservation District (Board) disagrees with this finding. The Board cannot commit to cost sharing and/or allocation of staff time for a regional planning group. The Board agrees immediate and ongoing commitment to adaptation and mitigation is essential to addressing the threats posed by sea level rise. The Board also agrees regional collaboration is essential to effective planning and implementation of adaptation and mitigation measures. It is for these reasons that the District has been actively participating in several regional ...

The Elder and Vulnerable Adult Services Team (EVAST), funded with Measure Z dollars, has significantly improved the prosecution and conviction rates for elder abuse cases. (R3)

Response: Agree Score: +1

The Board agrees with this finding. The District has been, and will continue to diligently pursue funding sources for sea level rise adaptation work. For example, as far back as 2012, the District approved the submittal of a grant from the California Coastal Conservancy to Prepare a Feasibility Study for the Beneficial Reuse of Dredged Materials for Tidal Marsh Restoration and Sea Level Rise Adaptation in Humboldt Bay. Acknowledging the threat of sea level rise to contaminated sites, the District worked to secure funding from a variety of local, state, and federal sources for the clean-up of ...

Response: Agree Score: +1

The District agrees with this finding and contributed to many of the relevant studies. The District is already implementing adaptation solutions, while working towards a comprehensive, phased approach to sea level rise adaptation throughout the Bay's shoreline, with short-, mid-, and long-term adaptation triggers for vulnerable areas and assets based on observed sea level rise thresholds. The District has been actively planning for sea level rise since at least 2011. In that time, the District has held many public meetings on the topic, secured multiple grants, and implemented substantial cont...

District Attorney

August 12, 2022 • 3 pages • 11 responses • Score: +5 (+5, 1, 0) View Details ▾

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11 responses to findings and recommendations

Reporting elder abuse is needlessly difficult, which results in its underreporting.(R1, R2)

Response: Agree Score: +1

The Humboldt County District Attorney's Office agrees with this finding, which provided one of our motivations for creating the Elder and Vulnerable Adult Services Team (EVAST). EVAST has greatly facilitated the process of reporting elder abuse; we will continue to work to improve the reporting system.

Response: Implemented

Score: 0

The Humboldt County District Attorney's Office website currently provides information on Elder Abuse, including a link and phone number to report suspected abuse.

We can better protect seniors by making it as easy as possible for the public at large, and seniors specifically, to understand what elder abuse is and how to report it. (R1, R2)

Response: Agree Score: +1

The Humboldt County District Attorney's Office agrees. To address this issue, we have run a series of Public Service Announcements in partnership with Area 1 Agency on Aging to educate the public on types of elder abuse that occur and how to report it.

Response: Will Implement

Due: December 31, 2022 Scheduled: Expanding efforts to develop a multi-faceted approach Score: +1

We will follow this recommendation by expanding our efforts to develop a multi-faceted approach to sharing information on elder abuse with the public.

Adult Protective Services (APS) could do more to publicize elder abuse awareness. (R2)

Response: Unknown Score: 0

The Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury recommends the DA and APS continue their annual joint application for Measure Z funds for EVAST. (F4)

Response: Will Implement

Scheduled: Continue to collaborate with APS to pursue Measure Z funding Score: +1

The Humboldt County District Attorney's Office will continue to collaborate with APS to pursue Measure Z funding needed to support EVAST.

The Elder and Vulnerable Adult Services Team (EVAST), funded with Measure Z dollars, has significantly improved the prosecution and conviction rates for elder abuse cases. (R3)

Response: Agree Score: +1

We agree. The graph below documents the increase in filing and prosecution of cases following the formation of EVAST beginning in 2017.

Response: Unknown

Score: 0

Response: Unknown Score: 0

Without a more accurate survey methodology than what is currently used by the Homeless Point in Time Count, many seniors who are homeless will not be counted.

Response: Unknown Score: 0

There is a dire need for senior emergency housing and shelters in Humboldt County. (R4)

Response: Unknown Score: 0

No Responses Found 6

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

Blue Lake City

Ferndale City

Fortuna City

Humboldt County Sheriff Elected County Office

Rio Dell City

Trinidad City