Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

High-Risk Elder Victims of Abuse, Neglect, or Exploitation Quickly Served; Data Problems Remain

Report 01-04, January 2001




Report Summary

  • Although the number of elder victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation referred from the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to the Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) has increased in most areas of the state, these caseload increases have not impeded DOEA's ability to serve high-priority clients. However, the caseload increases have resulted in more lower-priority clients being placed on DOEA waiting lists.
  • Despite improvements, DCF and DOEA data do not provide a complete and accurate assessment of the number of elder victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation referred to DOEA or the timeliness of services provided to them. Problems include discrepancies in the number of referrals reported, lack of capacity to report why some high-risk referrals are not served in a timely manner, and aggregate reporting of services for lower-risk referrals.
  • Cooperation between DCF and DOEA in serving elder victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation generally has increased or been maintained as a result of the 1998 law changes. But there are problems in some areas of the state that should be addressed.


Related Reports
  1. Progress Report: Improvements Needed in the Department of Children and Families Adult Services Program
    Report 03-08 January 2003
  2. Services to Elders Program, Department of Elder Affairs
    Report 01-66 December 2001
  3. DCF's Adult Services Program Meeting Goals; Data Reliability, Case Management Need Work
    Report 01-08 February 2001
  4. Progress Report: Other Initiatives to Decrease Long-Term Care Costs Should Accompany Medicaid Waiver Expansion
    Report 99-51 May 2000
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
social services, health, abuse, neglect, exploitation, central abuse hotline, elders, elders victims, elder affairs, children and families, elder referrals, community care for the elderly, medicaid aged and disabled waiver, waiting lists, timeliness of service provision, health and social services, in-home care, in-home services