The Elder Justice Coordinating Council powerfully demonstrates the commitment of this administration to elder justice, especially in addressing all aspects and dimensions of the opioid crisis, which often plays a devastating role in many cases of abuse, neglect and financial exploitation. President Trump has made the opioid crisis a top priority for his entire administration, and we are committed to addressing its effects on elderly Americans in particular.
As Prepared for Delivery
Good morning, it’s great to be here to open the 12th semi-annual meeting of the Elder Justice Coordinating Council and the first meeting of 2018.
Elder abuse is a social, health and economic issue. It is estimated that approximately 10 percent of older adults experience elder abuse, including physical abuse, psychological or verbal abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation or neglect. Like other forms of violence, elder abuse usually occurs behind closed doors. It often remains “invisible” and, we suspect, is significantly under-identified and underreported.
That is one reason why today’s gathering, with colleagues from 12 federal departments and agencies, is so important.
The Elder Justice Coordinating Council powerfully demonstrates the commitment of this administration to elder justice, especially in addressing all aspects and dimensions of the opioid crisis, which often plays a devastating role in many cases of abuse, neglect and financial exploitation. President Trump has made the opioid crisis a top priority for his entire administration, and we are committed to addressing its effects on elderly Americans in particular.
We will soon be marking the 13th World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, and it is my distinct honor to salute Dr. Elizabeth Podnieks, the founder of this observance. Her work has helped raise awareness about elder abuse. I understand she can’t be with us in person, but is watching via our livestream. Dr. Podnieks, on behalf of everyone here: Thank you.
I’d also like to thank SEC Chairman Jay Clayton for graciously hosting our Elder Justice Coordinating Council meeting this morning and the 4th Global Summit in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day this afternoon. It’s time for all of us to coordinate our agencies and departments to address abuse, neglect and exploitation. Everyone deserves dignity and respect. That must be the goal that drives our work on this issue.
We have made significant progress in our efforts to strengthen and improve our federal responses to elder maltreatment, and we have forged strong relationships with our sister agencies on this issue.
For example, HHS has created the first-ever data collection system, the National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System or NAMRS. Adult Protective Services, or APS, programs across the country are voluntarily reporting data about how they are helping our most vulnerable adults. Just about every state and territory has sent a report, showing the commitments of state governments to taking on the challenge of elder abuse and improving their work through better data.
Just a few weeks ago, I gave the team that developed and administers NAMRS my highest award, the Secretary’s Distinguished Services Award. The award recognizes the significance of policymakers and program leaders having data-driven knowledge about this challenge.
HHS has also developed a set of consensus-driven guidelines for Adult Protective Services to use as APS formulates programmatic and policy-related approaches to the direct services it provides to vulnerable adults experiencing abuse.
Today, the Elder Justice Coordinating Council is highlighting our commitment to elder justice, the pernicious effect of opioid abuse on older adults, and how we, the members of the EJCC, can coordinate and focus on the most pressing and relevant issues facing older Americans.
We know that some older adults abuse opioids themselves, and that many others also experience abuse, neglect and exploitation by others as a result of drug addiction. Older adults who suffer from chronic illnesses and pain may be at risk of having their medications, or their prescriptions, stolen, leaving them without relief or proper treatment.
Furthermore, the elderly can be intimidated, threatened, physically abused or robbed to pay for someone else’s opioid addiction. They also sometimes suffer neglect from a caregiver who is abusing opioids and not providing the care they need.
We are continuing to learn more and more about how the opioid epidemic impacts our communities. We have seen the reports detailing how this crisis presents new challenges to APS. Caseloads have not only increased dramatically, but have also become much more complicated because of intergenerational addiction.
Across HHS, we are looking at approaches to help the communities across our country that are suffering from addiction, including ways to support APS as it develops effective ways to prevent, detect and remediate the harm caused by opioid misuse.
Today’s speakers will highlight more about this crisis and suggest ways to improve prevention and response. I look forward to hearing from our expert speakers today. The information they will be sharing with us will be vital in the fight to stop elder abuse and the opioid crisis.
With that, I will welcome Attorney General Sessions for his opening remarks.
