DOJ Elder and Vulnerable Adult Abuse Grants

Many facets of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), as indicated in the companion article in this edition, “U.S. Department of Justice Involvement in Elder/Vulnerable Adult Abuse Prevention and Intervention Efforts,” provide support and assistance to players in the elder and vulnerable adult abuse field. A large proportion of this assistance is delivered in the form of grants to other entities. Note that although AAR made a concerted effort to identify all such current DOJ grants, this list may not be comprehensive.

Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) -- Training Grants to Stop Abuse and Sexual Assault Against Older Individuals or Individuals with Disabilities

The Office on Violence Against Women describes the purpose of these grants as “targeted training for law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and court officers to enhance their ability to recognize, address, investigate, and prosecute instances of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation and violence against individuals with disabilities, including domestic violence and sexual assault against older or disabled individuals.”

Beginning in October 2002, 18 grantees were chosen under this project, dividing a pot of $5 million. These are two-year grants.

The National Clearinghouse on Abuse in Later Life (NCALL), based in the Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence (WCADV), was separately funded to provide technical assistance to these grantees. This assistance includes helping develop training exercises, agendas, and programs; providing information about services for victims of abuse in later life; conducting a two-day meeting for the grantees; and developing and providing to the grantees a compendium of training exercises and curricula developed by WCADV and NCALL.

A Request for Proposals for a second set of grants -- another $5 million -- for training on abuse in later life has gone out, and those projects are expected to start (and presumably be announced by) October 1, 2003.

These are the currently-running projects. Note, however, that in some cases deliverables may be changed due to circumstances beyond the grantees’ control.

California District Attorneys Association
Katharine Killeen, Project Director
731 K Street, Third Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-443-2017 / 916-443-0540 Fax
kkilleen@cdaa.org

The goals of this project are to: 1) offer one-day workshops on interviewing elder abuse victims with cognitive and/or communication impairments to prosecutors and law enforcement; 2) offer a one-day workshop on forensic wound identification; 3) create a video training tool on forensic wound identification; and 4) organize a four-day conference on elder abuse prosecution for a multidisciplinary audience.

Colorado Attorney General's Office - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit
Mark Zammuto, Asst. Attorney General
1525 Sherman Street
Denver, CO 80203
303-866-5431 / 303-418-1638 Fax
mark.zammuto@state.co.us

The Colorado Attorney General's Office is developing in-service training for law enforcement and continuing legal education for prosecutors on working with elder victims of neglect, physical abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, and financial abuse.

Florida Council Against Sexual Assault
Leesa Gibson, Project Coordinator
1311A North Paul Russell Rd.
Tallahassee, FL 32301
850-297-2000 / 850-297-2002 Fax
lgibson@fcasv.org

The Florida Council Against Sexual Assault is developing a training focusing on creating a coordinated, community-wide response to older victims of sexual violence. The training will be conducted regionally for Florida law enforcement officers, prosecutors, court officers, attorneys, sexual assault advocates, geriatric system workers, agencies serving elders, and other appropriate professions.

Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office
Christine Tocki-Mulvey, Grant Administrator
200 North Washington Ave.
Scanton, PA 18503
570-963-6717 / 570-963-6725 Fax
ctlackada@gtemail.net

The purpose of this project is to develop an elder abuse protocol and training for justice professionals on domestic violence, sexual assault of elders and elder abuse/neglect/financial exploitation.

Lake County District Attorney's Office
Michael Blakely, Admin. of Victim-Witness
255 North Forbes Street
Lakeport, CA 95453
707-262-4282 / 707-262-5851 Fax
mike_b@co.lake.ca.us

The Lake County District Attorney's Office is developing training on various types of elder and disabled/dependent adult abuse, including the unique obstacles faced by Native American women. Training participants will include law enforcement, court personnel, probation officers, prosecutors, occupational program health care students, senior center staff and volunteers, bank officers, mortuary operators and domestic violence and sexual assault providers.

Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women (LACAAW)
Peggie Reyna / Sandra Henriquez
605 W Olympic Blvd., Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90015
213-955-9090 / 213-955-9093 Fax
peggie@lacaaw.org / sandra@lacaaw.org

This project is creating a multi-phased, community-based training to educate law enforcement, prosecutors, court personnel, and social service providers about needs of people with disabilities who are victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and abuse.

Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement - Victim Services Unit
Ginny Higgins
1885 Wooddale Blvd., Suite 708
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
337-394-2113
vhiggins02@aol.com

Louisiana’s Aged Law Enforcement Response Team will be expanded to include the proposed Stop Abuse and Sexual Assault to Older/Disabled Individuals Project. Training is to be held for at least three Police Officer Standards and Training academies in Louisiana.

Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
Pamela Meister, Project Coordinator
200 Portland St.
Boston, MA 02114
617-727-2200 / 617-727-1047 Fax
pam.meister@ago.state.ma.us

This grant is underwriting a 24-month training and information sharing initiative to improve the capacity of the justice system to recognize, investigate and prosecute abuse against older individuals. The project will include a statewide training conference about elder abuse, an advanced training institute series, outreach to law enforcement and elder protection agencies, a multi-part curriculum, a website, and a model for the formation of local elder abuse prevention roundtables across Massachusetts.

Michigan State Police - Emergency Management Division
Jim Shaw, First Lieutenant
714 S. Harrison Rd.
East Lansing, MI 48823
517-333-4016 / 517-333-4115
shawj@michigan.gov

The Michigan Department of State Police is coordinating several trainings and a statewide conference on justice response to victims who are elderly or people with disabilities.

New York City Office of the Criminal Justice Coordinator
Lisa Annetta, Grant Coordinator
1 Centre Street, Rm 1012
New York, NY 10007
646-328-6607 / 212-788-6815 Fax
lannetta@cityhall.nyc.gov

This project is developing training materials for justice professionals focusing on mental and physical abuse, financial exploitation and domestic violence against the elderly in order to increase the identification, investigation and prosecution of these crimes.

Ohio Domestic Violence Network
Sandy Huntzinger, Project Coordinator
4041 N. High Street, Suite 400
Columbus, OH 43214
614-784-0023 / 614-784-0033 Fax
sandyh@odvn.org

The Ohio Domestic Violence Network is developing and implementing training for justice professionals, domestic violence advocates, geriatric workers, adult protective service workers, and other professionals regarding domestic violence and its impact on the older victim.

Oregon Department of Human Services
Morgen Brodie, Project Coordinator
500 Summer Street, E-13
Salem, OR 97301
503-945-6079 / 503-378-8966 Fax
morgen.brodie@state.or.us

This project is creating a statewide, multidisciplinary training consisting of 20 day-long sessions designed to enhance the investigation and prosecution of abuse and violence against the elderly and people with disabilities. Two of the 20 trainings will be modified for and presented to two Indian tribes.

Stand Against Domestic Violence
David S. Lee, Dir. of Prevention & Community Empowerment
P.O. Box 6406
Concord, CA 94524
925-603-0139 / 925-676-0449 Fax
davidlee@standagainstdv.org

STAND! Against Domestic Violence is creating training materials for justice professionals to enhance their ability to recognize, address, investigate, and prosecute instances of elder abuse, neglect and domestic violence against older individuals.

Travis County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Survival Center
Wendie Abramson, Project Coordinator
P.O. Box 19454
Austin, TX 78760
512-356-1599 / 512-385-0662 Fax
wabramson@austin-safeplace.org

The curriculum being created under this grant will cover information and issues relating to disability awareness, risk factors for abuse, tactics for developing accessible offices and courthouse, interviewing and direct examination techniques for a victim with a disability, safety planning with a victim with a disability, and information on crimes that receive “enhanced” penalties when the victim has a disability.

University of Miami - Center on Aging and Disabilities
Jean M. Sherman, Dir. of Education & Training
1600 NW 10th Ave., Rm. 1135
Medical Campus
Miami, FL 33136
305-243-6397 / 305-243-4804 Fax
jsherman@med.miami.edu

A model training curriculum will be created and used to provide training for justice professionals in Miami-Dade. Under this grant, staff will also create screening tools and protocols to reduce the numbers of abusive family members who can become guardians.

Vera House, Inc.
Paula Annesi, Project Director
P.O. Box 365
Syracuse, NY 13209
315-425-0818 / 315-425-8942 Fax
pmannes@yahoo.com

This project is described simply as providing training to law enforcement and prosecutors on abuse and sexual assault against older persons.

Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services
Larry Lewack, Project Coordinator
58 South Main Street
Waterbury, VT 05676
802-651-9355
larryl@pshift.com

Nine training events on domestic/caregiver violence and sexual assault against people with disabilities, the Deaf, and elders will be conducted under this project. Training participants will include law enforcement; court personnel; prosecutors; adult protective services; advocates for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault; advocates and service providers for people with disabilities, the Deaf and elders; ombudsmen; public guardians; health care and home health providers; and people with disabilities, the Deaf and elders.

Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault (WCASA)
Mai Ensmann, Project Coordinator
600 Williamson St., Suite N2
Madison, WI 53703
608-257-1516 / 608-257-2150 Fax
project@wcasa.org

This project’s objective is to improve Wisconsin's capacity for increased victim safety among older sexually assaulted and abused individuals in the community and in long-term care facilities, and to increase successful prosecutions of these crimes. The project will provide training to law enforcement, district attorneys, victim witness staff and others, addressing substantive issues that currently represent knowledge gaps for most of these groups. Development and distribution of protocols on a range of law enforcement related issues, a range of sample materials, and a special summit to develop recommendations on issues relating to taking into custody perpetrators with complex medical needs will all be addressed over the 24-month grant period.

Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) -- Education and Technical Assistance Grants to End Violence Against and Abuse of Women with Disabilities Program

These grants, like the ones directed at older women, were authorized by Congress in the 2000 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. They are intended “to provide education and technical assistance for the purpose of providing training, consultation, and information on domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault against women who are individuals with disabilities.”

Seventeen (17) grantees were allocated $7 million in 2002. The California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) was funded to provide technical assistance to the grantees and “develop a National Clearinghouse on violence against women with disabilities, form a National Advisory Task Force comprised of experts in the field who will produce a white paper, create a monthly e-newsletter with resources for agencies to help serve women with disabilities who have experienced violence, and host the first national conference on disabilities.”

Note that all of these grants were given to collaboratives; only the lead agency is listed here.

OHSU Center on Self Determination
Mary Oschwald
3609 SE Powell Blvd.
Portland, OR 97202
503-232-9154 (voice and TTY)

OHSU will create an advisory board to coordinate a community response to violence against women with disabilities; provide on-site, peer-based training to one urban and three rural communities to facilitate strategic planning on how to accommodate women with disabilities; and create a clearinghouse of multi-media materials for agencies and community members. Additional funding support will be provided to rural communities serving clients with disabilities.

SafePlace
Wendie Abramson
P.O. Box 19454
Austin, TX 78760
512-356-1599 (voice)
512-482-0691 (TTY)

SafePlace is providing two “Train-the-Trainer” institutes for disabilities service providers and similar institutes for sexual assault and domestic violence professionals. State and national trainings will be conducted at conferences, and 20 domestic violence and sexual assault centers will receive consultations and guidance on improving accessibility. The grant also funds a toll-free technical assistance hotline.

State of Wyoming Attorney General’s Office
Division of Victim Services
Vicki Powell
Barrett Building
2301 Central Avenue
Cheyenne, WY 82002
307-777-7200 (voice)

This project is funding a statewide awareness campaign to increase awareness about abuse of women with disabilities as well as ongoing technical assistance and regional and local trainings for victim service providers, law enforcement agencies, other criminal justice professionals, domestic violence and sexual assault personnel, and members of the Wind River Indian Reservation.

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences / Partners for Inclusive Communities
Roberta Sick
2001 Pershing Circle, Suite 300
North Little Rock, AR 72115
501-682-9905 (voice)

An advisory council, focus groups, and surveys will help this project develop a lending library and provide training and technical assistance to victim service providers, disability service providers, and women with disabilities.

Virginians Against Domestic Violence
Stacy Ruble
2850 Sandy Bay Road, Suite 101
Williamsburg, VA 23185
757-221-0990 (voice)
800-838-8238 (TTY)

A Deaf Outreach Education Committee will help assess needs and create professional trainings and technical assistance to Deaf community service providers, communication facilitators, and domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault advocates. An Emotional Disability Study Group will evaluate, assess and train service providers on serving women with emotional disabilities.

Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs
2415 Pacific Avenue, SE, C-10
Olympia, WA 98501
360-754-7583 (voice)

Sexual assault victims with disabilities are the focus of this project, which will identify barriers to access and identify needed resources. Data and recommendations will be published, materials will be created on advocacy and legal issues, and statewide trainings will be held.

Bronx Independent Living Services
Lisa Stein
3525 Decatur Avenue
Bronx, NY 10467
718-515-2800 (voice)

“Mini-grants” and technical assistance to partner agencies to help with costs involved in meeting Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility requirements are part of this project, which will also develop and customize training packages that will cover an introduction to American Sign Language and a program on sensitivity to people who are deaf. A one-day conference will bring together consumers with disabilities and crime victim service providers and will feature a brainstorming session to develop solutions to problems of service provision to women with disabilities.

Center for Independent Living Options, Inc.
Leslie B. Stahl
632 Vine Street, Suite 601
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-241-2600, X 16

A victimization survey for women with disabilities will be conducted through this project, which will also develop and implement a training module that will provide a clear understanding of disabilities, domestic violence, and abuse. A public education and outreach program utilizing non-traditional service providers will be targeted to identify victims of domestic violence and abuse.

CSD of Minnesota
Anna Virnig
2055 Rice Street
St. Paul, MN 55113
651-297-6700 (voice)

All Minnesota domestic violence shelters will be made accessible to deaf and hard of hearing victims through computers, cameras, high-speed Internet access for video interpreting, trainings, and “A User’s Guide for Video Interpreting.”

Deaf Women of Iowa Against Abuse
Gretchen Brown-Waech
P.O. Box 36097
Des Moines, IA 50315
515-244-7417 (voice)

An assessment of the current capabilities of domestic violence shelters to provide services to Deaf and Hard of Hearing victims of domestic violence will be followed by development and implementation of a training and ongoing technical assistance to address how mainstream domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy and service programs can provide services to such clients.

Jane Doe, Inc., The Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence
Denise Roy
14 Beacon Street, Suite 507
Boston, MA
617-557-1805 (voice)

On-site evaluation and technical assistance visits will help agencies that provide services to domestic violence and sexual assault victims become more accessible. The project will also develop training modules for providers on serving victims with cognitive and developmental disabilities and victims in emotional distress.

Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence
Sandy Barnett
220 S.W. 33rd, Suite 100
Topeka, KS 66611
785-232-9784 (voice)
785-266-1874 (fax)

The list of tasks being undertaken by this project is long: developing statewide awareness and educational materials around violence against women with disabilities, including materials on outreach and awareness, statewide resources, and a set of self-assessment tools; conducting accessibility surveys and strategically planning based on the survey results; producing existing materials in accessible formats; identifying community resources; identifying gaps in services in welfare advocacy programs for women with disabilities; providing technical assistance; and creating and utilizing cross-training curricula for domestic violence/sexual assault and disability programs.

Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Criminal Justice
Wendy Graves or Paige Miller
1885 Wooddale Blvd., Suite 1230
Baton Rouge, LA 70806-1511
225-925-1757 or 225-752-1296 (voice)

On-site evaluations and focus groups will assess accessibility and services for people with disabilities who have experienced domestic violence or sexual assault. A Strategic Action Plan and resource guide will be developed to address identified issues.

New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs
Kim Alaburda
4004 Carlisle, NE, Suite D
Albuquerque, NM 87107
505-883-8020 (voice)

A statewide conference and fifteen one-day trainings will be devoted to identifying needs of the disability community and the barriers to access to services. Protocols will be developed on reporting and accessibility of services. A brochure guiding victim services and advocates on assisting victims with physical and cognitive disabilities will be developed.

White Buffalo Calf Women’s Society, Inc.
Tillie Black Bear
P.O. Box 227
Mission, SD 57555
605-856-2317

Local and statewide education and training conferences specific to violence and women with disabilities will be held. The project will also provide technical assistance to shelter programs on accessibility and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.

Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Nan Stoops
1402 3rd Avenue, Suite 406
Seattle, WA 98108
206-389-2515, X 103 (voice)
206-389-2900 (TTY)

A two-day curriculum on advocacy, developing co-advocacy relationships, and strategies to increase access for domestic violence programs will be created and delivered. There will also be a five-hour statewide training; a site visit kit containing model protocols, a mini-training curriculum, and relevant materials; and technical assistance to domestic violence shelters to increase accessibility.

Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy, Inc.
Amy E. Judy
16 North Carroll Street
Madison, WI 53703
608-267-0214 (voice/TTY)
608-237-0368 (fax)

This program will create and revise existing training resources, curricula and protocols focused on domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the lives of women with disabilities. Five regional cross-training events will be held for service providers from the sexual assault, domestic violence, and disability services fields. Technical assistance to increase accessibility and to provide culturally competent programs and services will be made available.

National Institute of Justice’s Civil Division Grants

This Division has four currently-running projects related to elder abuse.

American Bar Association
Lori Stiegel
202-662-8692 (voice)
LStiegel@staff.abanet.org

Recommendations for the Elder Abuse, Health, and Justice Fields About Issues Relating to Elder Abuse
The American Bar Association has received $100,000 to further develop and refine the issues and ideas addressed in the October 2000 Department of Justice Symposium, “Our Aging Population: Promoting Empowerment, Preventing Victimization, and Implementing Coordinated Interventions.” The project is establishing a working group of approximately 25 experts to 1) identify, review, and develop key areas among the myriad of suggestions made at the Symposium, and 2) develop recommendations for the elder abuse fields about medical forensic issues related to elder abuse and neglect. Project period: 6/28/01 to 9/30/03.

University of California - Irvine
Laura Mosqueda
714-456-5330 (voice)
Mosqueda@msx.ndc.mc.uci.edu

Bruising in the Geriatric Population
The University of California-Irvine has received $110,745 to further the field’s understanding of bruising (location, coloration, and resolution) in the geriatric population. The four key objectives of the project are to: 1) obtain a sample of bruises on geriatric patients that appeared within the previous 24 hours; 2) document the progression of bruises until resolution using visual (digital camera) and written documentation; 3) document the location of the bruising; and 4) analyze the effect of medications and mobility status on the bruise pattern. Project period: 3/1/02 to 9/30/03.

Boston College
Ann Burgess
617-965-6261 (voice)
Burges@mail.bc.edu

Identifying Forensic Markers in Elder Sexual Abuse
Boston College has received $99,264 to identify and describe the forensic markers for elder sexual abuse. These will be used to develop a database “critical for understanding how intentional sexual injuries may present to the geriatric population.” Project period: 10/01/01 to 9/30/03.

University of Missouri
Erik Lindbloom
573-882-4991 (voice)
Lindbloome@health.missouri.edu

The Role of Forensic Science in Identification of Mistreatment Deaths in Long-Term Care Facilities
The University of Missouri was given $373,867 to investigate lessons from the experience of Arkansas coroner Mark Malcolm. Coroner Malcolm was instrumental in securing enactment of a 1999 law requiring nursing homes to report all deaths to their local coroner. He has personally now investigated 2400 such deaths, uncovering 50 that he believes were strongly associated with abuse and/or neglect. The goals of this research project are to: “outline Mr. Malcolm’s investigation process, explore the details of investigations that are suspicious for maltreatment, identify barriers to accurate assessments, and report how this compares with nursing home death investigations on a national level.” Project period: 10/01/02 to 12/30/03.

Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)

Elder Abuse Fatality Review Teams
With OVC funding, the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging is funding four elder abuse fatality review teams demonstration projects. The grant is also funding a “promising practices” guide and a replication guide to “help establish such programs nationwide.” In conjunction with the National Association of Adult Protective Services Administrators, the project is also analyzing “the successes and failures of child abuse and domestic violence fatality review teams for insights useful to elder abuse fatality review teams...[and identifying] unique problems faced by elder abuse fatality review teams.”

Intervention for the Protection of Elderly Victims
Baylor College of Medicine was granted $150,000 in FY 2002 and $100,000 in FY 2003 to “develop a curriculum for academic physicians, who in turn will train thousands of future physicians.... The grantee piloted the training at two medical schools in Texas during the first year, targeting faculty in geriatrics, family practice, emergency medicine, surgery, and general internal medicine. The grantee has revised the curriculum based on the results of the pilot testing and is developing a bulletin about its Texas Elder Abuse and Mistreatment Institute, which is the first collaboration in the country between a state adult protective services (APS) agency and a geriatric team. In FY 2002, the grantee will train physicians on elder abuse at six remaining Texas medical schools. The grantee will further revise training materials and publish a curriculum for use at medical schools nationwide and provide an overview of their program and training in an OVC Bulletin.... With funding in its third year, the grantee will develop an interactive Web site for ongoing education, technical assistance, and interdisciplinary case consultations to participating medical school sites.”

Preventing and Intervening with Violence Against Children and Adults with Disabilities
An FY 2002 $30,000 grant to the State University of New York’s Upstate Medical University is supplementing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funding to conduct a national-scope conference on violence against adults and children with disabilities. “The conference will target healthcare practitioners, researchers, victims, victim service providers, and disability service providers to develop recommendations on needed prevention and intervention strategies to prevent violence against people with disabilities, and to ensure that they have access to the criminal justice system and receive needed victim services and interventions. OVC funding will strengthen the conference focus on coordination among the medical, criminal justice, victim assistance, and disability communities.” A report of the conference proceedings and findings, including recommendations for the healthcare, disability, and victim assistance communities, is expected.

Blackfeet TRIAD Program
The Blackfeet Child and Family Advocacy Center in FY 2002 received $50,000 for adapting a TRIAD elder abuse program to Indian country. “OVC has supported the development of this program for 3 years. This year, OVC plans to conduct a TRIAD assessment of the success of this program and work with tribal leaders to find a permanent source of funding to sustain the program. Last year, the Blackfeet provided technical assistance to the Zuni tribe to develop an elder abuse program and this year funding is provided for four mentoring visits to four additional Indian reservations to adapt the TRIAD model.”

Past DOJ Grants, Products Still Pending

American Prosecutors Research Institute
APRI, the policy arm of the National District Attorneys Association, was given a grant in 2001 to examine the current status of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation cases pursued by local prosecutors and to examine and prepare a report discussing what local prosecutors need to more effectively identify, investigate and prosecute those cases. The report is still pending.

National Training and Information Center
NTIC’s mission is to build grassroots leadership and strengthen neighborhoods through issue-based community organizing. DOJ gave it a grant to promote awareness, outreach, and coordination in addressing elder abuse and neglect among community, social service, healthcare, and law enforcement groups at the local level. Among other things, this grant was intended to examine how to encourage prompt identification and reporting of elder abuse and neglect.