CEJC's A*Team was created to resolve the systemic issues Elder Abuse Multidisciplinary Teams encounter. Working from a list of issues identified by MDTs themselves, this team of elder abuse experts will study the policies and practices behind the problems to offer recommendations for legislative, administrative, or operational changes to facilitate better outcomes for MDT cases. Funded through a 3-year, Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime grant, the A*Team coordinator will meet with California MDT coordinators to learn their concerns, provide access to information and resources, and create a venue for information-sharing. 

About the CEJC A*Team

CEJC's A*Team is a six-member team of experts working to resolve the systemic issues that prevent elder abuse MDTs from resolving cases. The team wants to hear from you about the roadblocks you encounter from communication barriers, obstacles to completing investigations, obtaining necessary information or records, or conflicting legal interpretations between partner organizations.
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Members of the A*Team were selected for their experience and understanding of the laws and practices involved in the investigation, prosecution and prevention of elder abuse. Members include:

• Melissa Brown, JD, Elder Law Clinic Director, McGeorge School of Law
• Debbie Deem, FBI Victim Advocate, Retired, and FAST Team Coordinator
• Eric Dowdy, Policy Director for the Alzheimer’s Association in California
• Paul Greenwood, Elder Abuse Unit Prosecutor, San Diego District Attorney’s Office (Retired)
• Andrea Higgens, Elder Abuse Investigator, San Mateo District Attorney’s Office
• Angela Rosato, Coordinator, Riverside County Elder Abuse Forensic Center​

Join our MDT Coordinator meetings

​Join CEJC's A*Team Coordinator Carol Sewell for the next bi-monthly MDT meeting. To be added to the notification list, click HERE.  

The establishment of Elder Abuse Multidisciplinary Teams is authorized by California Welfare & Institutions Code 15610.55 (a), as follows: 
“Multidisciplinary personnel team” means any team of two or more persons who are trained in the prevention, identification, management, or treatment of abuse of elderly or dependent adults and who are qualified to provide a broad range of services related to abuse of elderly or dependent adults.
​(b) A multidisciplinary personnel team may include, but need not be limited to, any of the following:
​(1) Psychiatrists, psychologists, or other trained counseling personnel.
(2) Police officers or other law enforcement agents, including district attorneys.

(3) Health practitioners, as defined in Section 15610.37.(4) Social workers with experience or training in prevention of abuse of elderly or dependent adults.
(5) Public guardians, public conservators, or public administrators.
(6) The local long-term care ombudsman.
​(7) Child welfare services personnel.
(8) Representatives of a health plan.
(9) Housing representatives.
(10) County counsel.(11) A person with expertise in finance or accounting.(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 85, Sec. 64. (AB 135) Effective July 16, 2021.)

Resources

CEJC commits to sharing a wide range of important resources to give MDTs to expert guidance and research from the field. 

• New! Collaborating with Financial Institutions to Prevent Elder Financial Exploitation and Abuse: A Guide for APS Investigators in California 

          Developed by CEJC's A*Team, this California specific guide summarizes Adult Protective Services' authority to obtain banking records when investigating cases of elder financial exploitation and abuse. The guide includes a summary of banking obligations under California law and includes statutes outlining APS authority and bank responsibilities under both state and federal law. It also includes customizable forms for counties to use in requesting customer records from financial institutions.
           Collaborating with Financial Institutions to Prevent Elder Financial Exploitation and Abuse: A Guide for APS Investigators in California is based on the National Guidelines for Financial Institutions: Working Together to Protect Older Persons from Financial Abuse, developed in 2017 by NAPSA and the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging. 


Guides and Toolkits

• USDOJ MDT Guide and Toolkit
• APS TARC Toolkit
• APS TARC Webinars: Upcoming and Recorded 
• Capacity Screening in Adult Protective Services: Guidance and Resources
• National Center for State Courts Finding the Right Fit: Decision-Making Supports and Guardianship
• Elder Fraud Prevention and Response Networks: Building Collaboration to Fight Exploitation and Abuse
• The Role of Adult Protective Services (APS) in Guardianship Cases  ​
• NCALL Crime Victim Services Providers/Advocates and Criminal Justice Systems Stakeholders
• National Guidelines to Implement the 2013 Federal Interagency Guidance on Privacy Laws and Reporting Financial Abuse of Older Adults 
• Recovering from Financial Exploitation: A Framework for policy and research
• Protecting Seniors: A Bank Resource Guide for Partnering with Law Enforcement and Adult Protective Services
• Guardianship Resources from the National Center on Law and Elder Rights
• Updated APS Toolkit from the APS Technical Assistance Resource Center

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MDT Resource Centers

• Academy for Professional Excellence - Adult Protective Services Workforce Innovations
• Elder Justice Network Locator Map  

Tribal Elder Protection Resources

• National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative
• Rural and Tribal Elder Justice Summit Materials, 2019  ​
• National Center for Abuse in Later Life Resources for Professionals Working in Tribal Communities

Training

• Training Resources on Elder Abuse from the University of Southern California and the National Center on Elder Abuse

Advanced Training Resources

MDT partners can take advantage of a range of new training opportunities offered by the Academy for Professional Excellence.

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