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Extracted from Consolidated Report
This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.
Los Angeles County Grand Jury
• 2008-2009
An Investigation of Elder Abuse Prevention Services and Programs
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 5 findings
F1
Page 340
1 Neither the County nor Adult Protective Services (APS) currently has a strategic plan in place with specific goals, objectives, targets, fiscal needs and plans and outcome measures to guide the provision of services and programs for the prevention and intervention of elder and dependent adult abuse for the next several years.
F2
Page 354
1 Current outreach conducted by APS is more reactive than proactive and not based on any analysis of demographic data showing where the risk of abuse or need for services may be greatest.
F3
Page 363
1 While APS program management has established a comprehensive ongoing training curriculum for its social work staff, adherence to the training curriculum does not appear to be taking place. The Department does not have any documentation indicating that all of the trainings have been presented or which APS social work staff attended them.
F4
Page 373
1 Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) oversight of the Community and Senior Services’ (CSS) performance in administering the Adult Protective Services (APS) program lacks a comprehensive analysis of client outcome measures.
F5
Page 384
1 A program is in place that provides preventive services to a population defined as at risk of elder abuse at two County medical facilities. The program has not been established at the County’s three other medical facilities.
Recommendations 5
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R1Page 3401 – The Director of Community and Senior Services The Director of Community and Senior Services should develop a framework by June 2010 for preparing an elder and dependent adult abuse strategic plan specific to Adult Protective Services that addresses expected future growth in the elder population and 2008-2009 Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Report 317 related funding needs, using the plans from the Long-Term Care Coordinating Council and the Area Agency on Aging as models.
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R2Page 3541.1 – The Director of Community and Senior Services The Director of Community and Senior Services should direct APS management, by June 2010, to analyze third party research and its own data on reports of abuse and referrals to field offices to determine where the risk of abuse and need for services is greatest and then target community and media outreach accordingly.
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R3Page 3631 - The Director of Community and Senior Services The Director of Community and Senior Services should develop control mechanisms by June 2010 to ensure that all Social Workers receive the required minimum level of ongoing training and outside agencies provide a minimum number of trainings to APS workers.
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R4Page 3731 - The Director of the Department of Public Social Services The Director of the Department of Public Social Services should coordinate with APS management to expand the Quality Assurance Monitoring Plan compliance reviews, by June 2010, to include a review of outcome measures such as prosecution, restitution, and conservatorships as well as a comparative analysis of risk levels at initial intake and case closing.
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R5Page 3841 – The Directors of Community and Senior Services and the Department of Health Services The Directors of Community and Senior Services and the Department of Health Services should confirm the effectiveness of results of the “Early, Medical-based Detection of Elders and Dependent Adults who have been Abused and/or Neglected” program at two County hospitals and approach the Department of Health Services about expanding the program to at least the Department’s three other major medical facilities and possibly other private facilities in the County by June 2010.