PRINTER'S NO. 846
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
151
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY SAMUELSON, HENNESSEY, MARSICO, ACOSTA,
BENNINGHOFF, BISHOP, BOBACK, V. BROWN, BROWNLEE, CALTAGIRONE,
COHEN, D. COSTA, SCHLEGEL CULVER, DAVIS, DeLISSIO,
DiGIROLAMO, ENGLISH, FABRIZIO, FARINA, FREEMAN, GIBBONS,
GILLEN, GINGRICH, GOODMAN, GRELL, HARHART, KIM, KINSEY,
KIRKLAND, KORTZ, MAJOR, McCARTER, McNEILL, MENTZER, MILLARD,
O'NEILL, PICKETT, READSHAW, REGAN, ROZZI, SCHLOSSBERG,
SCHWEYER, STAATS, TAYLOR, THOMAS, VEREB, WATSON, WHEELAND AND
DONATUCCI, MARCH 6, 2015
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MARCH 6, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Honoring Ronald W. Costen, Ph.D., Esquire, on his retirement
from Temple University and recognizing his work as the
director of the Institute on Protective Services.
WHEREAS, In 1999, Temple University's College of Health
Professionals and Social Work established the Institute on
Protective Services (the Institute) to conduct training of law
enforcement agencies and district attorneys on elder abuse
issues; and
WHEREAS, Since 2000, the Institute has been a collaboration
between the Department of Aging and Temple University to provide
training and investigative consultation to agencies and law
enforcement officials examining cases of physical abuse and
financial exploitation of elderly and disabled persons; and
WHEREAS, Ronald W. Costen, Ph.D., Esquire, has served as
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
director of the Institute since 2000, providing his expertise to
the Commonwealth's 52 area agencies on aging, district attorneys
and law enforcement; and
WHEREAS, Since 2011, Dr. Costen and his staff have helped to
recover more than $2.3 million in funds exploited from senior
citizens and protect an additional $5.2 million in at-risk
assets and have assisted in 21 arrests resulting in 12
successful elder financial abuse proceedings; and
WHEREAS, Ten years ago, Dr. Costen and his staff established
the first Elder Abuse Task Force in Pennsylvania to improve
communications between district attorneys and area agencies on
aging investigating elder abuse; and
WHEREAS, There are now 33 elder abuse task forces across this
Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Since the initial concept of an elder abuse task
force, the Institute's role has expanded to educate district
attorneys, police departments, coroners and emergency medical
service personnel to recognize signs of elder abuse; and
WHEREAS, Since 1997, Dr. Costen has worked as a forensic
associate, providing legal, educational and program development
services to health care providers serving elderly and
developmentally disabled persons; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Costen provided legal, advocacy and life
management services to individuals with disabilities and their
families, supplied treatment record review and testimony
regarding neglect and abuse of individuals in long-term care
settings and consulted with district attorneys, police and
coroners in criminal cases involving neglect and abuse of older
adults and people with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Costen received his bachelor of arts degree from
20150HR0151PN0846 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Old Dominion University, Sociology Department, Norfolk,
Virginia, in 1969, his master of arts degree from Duquesne
University, Sociology Department in 1970, his doctor of
philosophy degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of
Social Work in 1975 and his juris doctor degree from Temple
University School of Law in 1987; and
WHEREAS, From 1971 to 1989, Dr. Costen held various positions
to help protect our most vulnerable citizens, including
assistant district attorney for Lackawanna County, educational
program specialist with the Council on Social Work Education,
Alexandria, Virginia, research associate at the University of
Pittsburgh School of Social Work and program director for
Allegheny County Mental Health/Mental Retardation in Pittsburgh;
and
WHEREAS, From 1976 to 1989, Dr. Costen served as assistant
dean, assistant professor and chairperson of the Gerontology
Institute at Marywood University, Scranton, teaching graduate
courses in social policy, aging, human behavior and health care;
and
WHEREAS, Dr. Costen planned, developed and implemented
Marywood University's Gerontology Institute, off-campus and
weekend graduate social work programs and the Rural Aging Mental
Health Training Project; and
WHEREAS, From 1989 to 1997, Dr. Costen served as Deputy
Attorney General in the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General,
Criminal Law Division, investigating and prosecuting cases of
abuse and neglect of children and elderly and developmentally
disabled persons; and
WHEREAS, As Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Costen operated the
Pennsylvania Medical/Legal Advisory Board on Child Abuse,
20150HR0151PN0846 - 3 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
directed the Pennsylvania Elder Abuse Statewide Law Enforcement
Training Project and the Pennsylvania Interdisciplinary Child
Abuse Investigation Training Project and served as legislative
counsel for elder abuse and neglect issues; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Costen holds several professional licenses and
memberships; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Costen is admitted to practice before the
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and is a licensed social worker;
and
WHEREAS, Dr. Costen's memberships include the Pennsylvania
Bar Association, Pennsylvania Board of Social Work Examiners and
National Association of Social Workers; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Costen retired from Temple University on January
1, 2015, to pursue a master of divinity degree from the Lutheran
Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Costen will continue to provide his professional
expertise to elder abuse task forces, area agencies on aging and
local law enforcement fighting elder abuse; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor Ronald W.
Costen, Ph.D., Esquire, for his decades of service to our most
vulnerable citizens and recognize the work of Dr. Costen and his
staff in fighting physical and financial abuse of elderly and
disabled persons.
20150HR0151PN0846 - 4 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23