1Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to
2conduct a study of the existing network of elder abuse task
3forces in this Commonwealth and to assess the feasibility of
4expanding the network Statewide.

5WHEREAS, The Department of Aging of the Commonwealth is
6responsible for oversight and implementation of the act of 
7November 6, 1987 (P.L.381, No.79), known as the Older Adults 
8Protective Services Act, (OAPSA) for individuals who are 60 
9years of age and older; and

10WHEREAS, Nationally, Pennsylvania ranks fourth in the
11percentage of persons 65 years of age and older, behind only
12Florida, Maine and West Virginia; and

13WHEREAS, The department works closely with the 52 local area
14agencies on aging who implement the OAPSA program at the local
15level; and

16WHEREAS, According to the department, in fiscal year 2011-

12012, there were over 18,000 reports of abuse and given current 
2trends in this Commonwealth and nationally, it is anticipated 
3that this number will continue to rise; and

4WHEREAS, Of the 18,000 abuse reports, cases of neglect
5represent over 66% and financial exploitation represents the
6second most common and fastest growing category at 16% of all
7reports; and

8WHEREAS, Elder abuse victims need to not only receive
9protective services to cope with the harm that has been done to
10them, but they also need to have the ability to seek restitution
11and justice; and

12WHEREAS, The Department of Aging Institute on Protective
13Services at Temple University has worked collaboratively with
14local area agencies on aging to establish multidisciplinary
15elder abuse task forces that bring together professionals from
16many different entities that work with victimized older adults
17in order to bring different but equally valuable knowledge and
18perspectives to work cooperatively in identifying and responding
19to elder victimization; and

20WHEREAS, The 33 currently existing elder abuse task forces
21have proven that public awareness, education and community
22partnerships are crucial in combating elder abuse and that each
23existing task force is unique and tailored to meet the needs of
24each individual community and the various genres in those
25communities, including, but not limited to, social services, law
26enforcement and financial institutions; therefore be it

27RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the
28Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a study of
29the existing network of elder abuse task forces in this
30Commonwealth; and be it further

1RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee 
2review the structure of each existing elder abuse task force and 
3develop a profile of the current task forces, recognizing that 
4each model is uniquely designed due to the differing political 
5and governmental structures in each jurisdiction as well as the 
6various mechanisms that exist to meet the needs of vulnerable 
7elders; and be it further

8RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
9identify key factors that contributed to the establishment and
10continued operation of the existing task forces, including, but
11not limited to, funding mechanisms utilized for operation of the
12task forces as well as barriers that were overcome in order to
13achieve the establishment of the task forces; and be it further

14RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
15identify local area agencies on aging service areas that do not
16currently have multidisciplinary elder abuse task forces,
17investigate the need to establish such task forces and make
18recommendations accordingly; and be it further

19RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
20prepare a report of its findings and recommendations and
21transmit copies of the report to the Aging and Older Adult
22Services Committee no later than six months after adoption of
23this resolution.