OHIO COALITION FOR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES

The Ohio Coalition for Adult Protective Services wants to connect every senior, caregiver, supporter and related professional to the best possible resources to alleviate elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, improving the quality of life for Ohio's seniors.

The Ohio Coalition for Adult Protective Services conducts two projects. The first, for 33-years the Coalition hosts approximately 250 professionals for an annual conference geared toward raising awareness of elder abuses. These professionals represent the aging network and prosecuting fields, academia, as well as the primary audience, Adult Protective Services, all gathered to learn best practices, trends and paths to resolutions. The purpose is to better equip professionals, within their roles, as together we work to combat crimes against our elderly.

Second, the OhioHOPES - Helping Ohio Protect and Empower Seniors is a three-pronged project. OhioHOPES offers an online resource hub which includes resources of interest to seniors in general as well as victims of elder abuse. www.ohiohopes.org has more than 1,500 entries in the resource section including entries for each of Ohio's eighty-eight counties. The website also provides definitions of abuse and explanation of reporting entities. This resource is available to anyone 24/7. Next, OhioHOPES conducts free presentations on the topics of elder abuse, interdisciplinary team development, increasing awareness where and how to report elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, most frequently to groups of seniors as well as other interested parties. Lastly, OhioHOPES offers a monitored help-line so persons can confidentially share his/her situation, in detail, to gain connection to local, vital resources tailored to meet the individual's immediate and long-term needs.

The Ohio Coalition for Adult Protective Services has an active, 25-member Board of Directors. The Board of Directors enlists coalition members and topic experts to serve on committees that navigate the organization's operations. The Education and Resource Committee in particular fulfills the majority of tasks affiliated with the annual conference. Currently, the Executive Director is the lone employee and conducts all aspects of the OhioHOPES project. Occasionally, volunteers assist with one of or both projects. The Executive Director has served vulnerable populations for over three decades providing insights into resources and reporting.

The Ohio Coalition for Adult Protective Services will be celebrating their 34th annual conference in 2019. This conference is recognized statewide and nationally, as a premier, high quality educational event filled with applicable information regarding adult protection.

OhioHOPES project, which had reached 190 seniors in the previous state fiscal year, in the most recent state fiscal year, served an astounding 5,468 senior victims, seniors at risk of becoming victims of elder abuses, their caregivers and supports.