Protecting the rights, independence, and safety of older people by exploring barriers, sharing information and ideas, and providing a voice from the field to policy makers
Who We Are
CEJC is a multidisciplinary membership organization providing a voice from the field in elder justice policy and practice. We promote the rights of older adults, including protection against age-based discrimination and elder abuse, and equitable access to resources, health care, and the legal system by those in greatest need. Our programs include: Nat'l Elder Justice Advocates Academy The Academy provides advocates with information, updates, promising practices, webinars, toolkits, and opportunities to join in the national dialogue on elder justice. Senior Medicare Patrol CEJC partners with the California Senior Medicare Patrol to inform professionals, advocates, and the public about how Medicare fraud harms seniors, caregivers, and the public, and what they can do. |
Policy
CEJC advocates for policy reform, raises awareness about elder justice developments, creates opportunities for exchange among advocates and policy makers, and provides consultation, training, and technical assistance. Our work reflects our Principles of Elder Justice handout and video. Our current work focuses on:
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Learn
Our educational materials focus on leading edge issues in elder justice with the aim of fostering new ideas and innovations. They include:
Upcoming Webinar: CEJC is partnering with Senior Medicare Patrol to host Fraud and Financial Abuse Prevention Networks: Showcasing Innovation on Thursday, January 28th, 2021, 10:00 -11:30 AM Pacific. For more information and to register, visit Webinars and Events. |
News & Updates |
To view the full November/December 2020 News & Updates and to subscribe to News & Updates emails, click here:
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National News
Appropriation Bill Contains APS Funds The fiscal year 2021 appropriations bill and pandemic relief legislation that went into law on Sunday, December 27th (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021) includes one-time, one-year funding for Elder Justice Act related programs, half of which are dedicated to Adult Protective Services. The legislation directs the funds to be spent for activities authorized under the Elder Justice Act for elder abuse prevention, and, in particular, to prevent it from increasing during the pandemic (the EJA, which was passed in 2009 as part of the Affordable Care Act, expired in 2014). Advocates had hoped that the new budget would include a reauthorization of the Elder Justice Act, but the new funds give advocates hope for crossing the finish line in the next Congress. VOCA Funds In Jeopardy National advocacy organizations are urging Congress to prevent anticipated catastrophic cuts to Victim of Crime Act funding through a legislative fix that will increase deposits to the Crime Victims Fund (CVF). Sources of the CVF, which supports victim assistance and compensation programs, include fees, fines and forfeitures from white collar crimes. The cuts are the result of fewer federal white-collar crimes being prosecuted. VOCA has been a major source of support for services for older victims in California, including elder abuse multidisciplinary teams, legal assistance, case management, shelter, and support groups. A decreased allocation could result in the loss of these critical services. |
California News
Master Plan Highlights 5 Goals Including Elder Justice Signaling a new era of bold leadership in aging services, Kim McCoy Wade, Director of the California Department of Aging, and Health & Human Services Secretary Mark Ghaly have released California’s first-ever Master Plan for Aging (MPA), which outlines 5 goals: 1) building housing for all ages, 2) improving access to health services, 3) providing inclusive opportunities for seniors to live and work without fear of abuse and neglect, 4) bolstering the caregiving workforce, and 5) increasing economic security for aging Californians. It outlines over 100 "Action-Ready Initiatives" that have already been adopted for implementation by state agencies in partnership with stakeholders and the Legislature. Initiatives that promote elder justice are contained under Goal 3:
Cal Launches Consumer Financial Protection Agency California’s Consumer Financial Protection Law (CCFPL), which took effect Jan. 1, 2021, creates the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, replacing the former Department of Business Oversight. The agency will have authority to regulate previously unregulated financial products and services and review all claims of unlawful, unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices. The new organization is asking for advocates’ help in raising awareness and has created a social media kit for doing so. Graphics and social media copy are available at CCFPL on their website at CCFPL . |
State News (Other States)
North Caroline Launches Romance Imposter Scam Peer Support Group North Carolina is among the most recent states to start a Romance Imposter Scam Peer Support Group. The new program was started with support from the Cybercrime Support Network and North Carolina's United Way 211 program with funding from the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) of the U.S. Department of Justice. For more on Cybercrime Support Network and state I.D. theft Coalitions, see State ID Theft Coalitions: Stolen Identities and Beyond (May 22, 2019). Maine Launches Elder Justice Coordinating Partnership In October of 2019 Maine Governor Janet Mills signed an Executive Order establishing the Elder Justice Coordinating Partnership. The mission of the EJCP, a public/private partnership whose members represent a diverse range of backgrounds and experience, is to create an elder justice roadmap for the State of Maine. The first meeting is scheduled in September, 2020.
NNSEJC was formed in 2018 to build capacity at the state and national levels by sharing information, resources, and expertise. For more information and updates, see NNSEJC. Upcoming Meetings The next NNSEJC Membership meeting is on March 11, 2021. It will focus on the role of state legal assistance developers. For more information, contact NSEJC@gmail.com. NNSEJC Founders Celebrated for Leadership As part of its Lights of Joy Campaign, the National Center on Elder Abuse celebrated leaders in the field of elder abuse prevention. Among those recognized as “lights of joy” for their leadership were NNSECJ founding members Risa Breckman and Georgia Anetzberger. Other Lights of Joy leaders are Laura Mosqueda and Bonnie Brandl. |
New Resources
Restorative Justice Symposium Now Online On October 15 and 16, 2020, the Syracuse University College of Law hosted the symposium Interdisciplinary Approaches to Elder Justice: Unlocking the Potential for Restorative Justice, which brought together thought leaders from multiple countries and disciplines to showcase how restorative justice is being used by domestic violence and elder abuse prevention programs to improve outcomes for victims and their families and communities. The Restorative Justice Model focuses on repairing family relationships and reducing risk by engaging victims, their families, and social networks, as well as offenders in mediation, circles, and conferences. Proponents point out that many victims want to stop abuse but also want to see abusive family members helped. They point out the model's preventative value and the benefits of involving communities in identifying solutions. To view the event, go to IAEJ. New Training on Decision-Making The National Center for State Courts and the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging have released Finding the Right Fit: Decision-Making Supports and Guardianship, a training to help advocates and service providers assist individuals with diminished mental capacity. It focuses topics ranging from supporting people in making their own choices about health, money, and lifestyle; to deciding whether to become a guardian or conservator; to supporting self-determination. |
Research & Reports
Senate Releases Reports on COVID in Nursing Homes Two Senate Committees have released reports that describe COVID-19 in facilities and offer recommendations for combatting it.
Low Staff Levels Linked to COVID in CA Nursing Homes According to a new UCSF study, nursing homes with lower Medicare five-star ratings on nursing staffing levels, other staffing levels, and higher total health deficiencies were more like to have residents with COVID. The researchers suggest that California nursing homes that met the minimum staffing standards may have prevented or delayed infections and that establishing minimum staffing standards at the federal and state levels could lower infection rates in the future. See Low Staff Levels Linked to COVID. Helping Those Who Help Others: Key Findings This report from the National Resource Center for Reaching Victims (NRC) describes the findings of a comprehensive needs assessment of the crime victims field that was conducted to better understand why some victims are not receiving services and what resources and tools the field needs to reach more people. The research was conducted between July 2017 through March 2018. The top five crime types that respondents identified as underserved by their programs were human trafficking, domestic violence, adult sexual assault, elder abuse, and children who witness violence. See the report here. |