San Francisco Consortium for Elder Abuse Prevention
In response to a national hearing on the emerging issue of elder abuse held in San Francisco by the U.S. House Select Committee on Aging, the San Francisco Coalition of Agencies Serving the Elderly (CASE) assigned a task force to explore the problem locally. In 1983 the task force selected a coordinating agency for a program that continues as the San Francisco Consortium for Elder Abuse Prevention at Institute on Aging. This program received national attention for creating an innovative model that brings together over 50 providers in both public and private agencies across San Francisco serving seniors and adults with disabilities.
Preventing abuse and responding and providing services to victims takes a coordinated approach to provide the wide array of necessary services. This collaborative process, referred to as "multi-disciplinary," involves investigating abuse, response from the police and district attorney, legal services and counseling, and coordinating a variety of basic support services such as housing, food and medical care.
IOA’s Consortium for Elder Abuse Prevention is a nationally recognized model for multi-disciplinary collaboration in elder abuse prevention. Comprised of over 50 public and private agencies serving seniors and adults with disabilities, the Consortium coordinates services for abused seniors, promotes public awareness on elder abuse issues, provides training and education to seniors and professionals, and advocates for policies that increase safety for vulnerable adults. We also provide individual and group counseling for abused individuals though IOA's Department of Psychology.
What We Offer
- Counseling program for elder abuse victims: Our trained counselors work with seniors who have been victims of elder abuse. Our one-on-one counseling focuses on dealing with the aftermath of abuse and regaining self-confidence. We also provide a support group for women who have been victims of elder abuse.
- Training on elder abuse detection: The best way to stop abuse is to be able to recognize it early. Our staff and others in the elder abuse prevention community are available to come and speak to your community or senior group about the signs of elder abuse, your responsibility to report suspected abuse, and how and where to get help.
- Public Awareness: We have posters, flyers, brochures and an award winning video on elder abuse. Some materials are available in multiple languages and most are free. We can refer you to other sources of information on special topics.
- Multidisciplinary Team Review: Professionals in the fields of aging, civil law, adult protective services, mental health, social work, law enforcement, and others meet monthly to review complex abuse cases and to learn about new service resources and innovative intervention techniques.
- Consultation: Staff is available to consult with professionals and others on suspected elder abuse cases.
Contact Information
Consortium for Elder Abuse Prevention
Institute on Aging
3330 Geary Blvd., 3W
San Francisco, CA 94118
General Consortium Information: (415) 750-4180 x225
Heidi Li, Director
For information on the new Forensic Center, please contact:
Erika Falk, Director of Assessment.
Email: efalk@ioaging.org
Tel: (415) 750-4180 x232
Alt Tel: (415) 355-3656