Multiple agencies and entities play critical roles in ensuring the rights of older adults. These include agencies that provide protective services and promote independence and autonomy. It also includes agencies that hold perpetrators accountable, including law enforcement and specialized consumer protection entities that focus on abuse and neglect in nursing homes, frauds, and scams and target that older people.
Services and Law Enforcement
  • Department of Social Services (DSS) oversees California's Adult Protective Services (APS) program and other key "safety net" programs like "In Home Support Services," which provides personal assistance to people with disabilities who cannot manage on their own. County APS programs investigate reports of abuse and neglect that occur in private homes, acute care hospitals, clinics, adult day care facilities, and social day care centers. APS workers also assist older adults and other adults who are functionally impaired and those experiencing or at risk for abuse, exploitation, neglect, or self neglect by providing or making referrals for case management, emergency shelter, in-home protection, transportation, and counseling.
  • Department on Aging (CDA) administers programs that serve older adults, adults with disabilities, family caregivers, and residents of long-term care facilities. It administers funds from the federal Older Americans Act, the Older Californians Act, and Medi-Cal. CDA contracts with Area Agencies on Aging to provide services that help older adults find employment; help older and disabled individuals live independently in their communities; promote health and community involvement; and support caregivers. It also contracts with agencies that operate Medi-Cal home and community-based waivers, which are designed to avoid the need for nursing home care. CDA is home to the state's Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, which improves the quality of life of residents of nursing homes and residential care facilities by acting as their independent advocates. Local Ombudsman staff and volunteers visit residents, monitor conditions, investigate and resolve resident complaints, advocate for needed change, and provide education.
  • Attorney General's Office/Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse investigates and prosecutes cases alone or in collaboration with local law enforcement when the circumstances require special expertise or resources. This includes abuse in nursing homes and fraud by health care providers.
  • California Office of Emergency Services (CALOES) ​Victim Services Programs provide direct services for victims of crime including domestic violence, elder abuse, sexual assault, stalking, and teen dating violence, among others. They provide and oversee services for victims of crime. They provide funds to Victims Advocates who work in collaboration with District Attorney offices to ensure that victims understand the criminal justice process, advocate on their behalf, and provide support and referrals. CALOES also makes grants to public and non-profit agencies to provide counseling, shelter, legal assistance, case management to victims. As the result of a special initiative to reach older victims, CALOES provides funds to elder abuse multidisciplinary as well as counseling, legal assistance, case management, support groups to older victims of elder abuse and financial exploitation. See CALOES grant programs.

Consumer Protection and Regulatory Agencies
The following agencies have responsibility for protecting older Californians against abuse in nursing homes and other health care facilities; abuse and fraud by providers of financial products; and financial institutions.
  • California Department of Business Oversight (DBO) supervises state-licensed financial institutions, including banks, credit unions, and money transmitters. It licenses and regulates financial service providers, including securities brokers and dealers, investment advisers, payday lenders, and other consumer finance lenders.
  • California Department of Consumer Affairs enforces consumer protection laws, collaborates with law enforcement to fight consumer fraud, resolves disputes between consumers and businesses, promotes the use of fair and valid licensing examination programs, and ensures that consumers have a voice in the marketplace.
  • California Department of Insurance (DOI) provides protections against fraud and scams involving annuities, long term care insurance, and other products that are commonly marketed to older people. It operates the “Senior Gateway,” a website to provide information on how to avoid becoming victims of personal or financial abuse.
  • Elder Financial Abuse Interagency Roundtable (E-FAIR) is a collaboration of governmental agencies in California that was created to protect seniors from financial abuse through coordinated action, information sharing and collaboration. Representatives come together to discuss current issues with the potential to impact seniors, such as predatory mortgage and financing.


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