BILL NUMBER: ACR 71 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 8, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Dodd
( Coauthor: Assembly Member
Bloom Coauthors: Assembly Members
Bloom, Achadjian, Alejo,
Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bonilla,
Bonta, Brough, Brown,
Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chang,
Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu,
Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh,
Dahle, Daly, Eggman, Frazier,
Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia,
Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson,
Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray,
Grove, Hadley, Harper,
Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer,
Kim, Lackey, Levine,
Lopez, Low, Mathis, Mayes,
McCarty, Medina, Melendez,
Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'
Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Perea,
Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas,
Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago,
Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond,
Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber,
Wilk, Williams, and Wood )
MAY 14, 2015
Relative to Elder and Vulnerable Adult Abuse Awareness Month.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 71, as amended, Dodd. Elder and Vulnerable Adult Abuse
Awareness Month.
This measure would proclaim and acknowledge the month of June 2015
and every year thereafter as Elder and Vulnerable Adult Abuse
Awareness Month.
Fiscal committee: no.
WHEREAS, Elder and vulnerable adult abuse is a serious and growing
crisis in California; and
WHEREAS, Not a day goes by without reports of horrific cases of
abuse or exploitation of elder or vulnerable adults; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the United States, 10,000 people a day are
turning 65 years of age; and
WHEREAS, One in ten Americans 60 years of age and older experience
abuse each year; and
WHEREAS, One in every eight individuals over 65 years of age is
living with Alzheimer's disease and nearly one in two people with
dementia experiences some form of abuse by others; and
WHEREAS, Elder and vulnerable adults may be impacted by any of a
constellation of physical, mental, pharmaceutical, or medical
influences, any one of which could render them unable to protect
themselves or self-advocate, to report to authorities when abuse
occurs, or to testify against perpetrators; and
WHEREAS, A 2009 National Institute of Justice study found that 11
percent of elders reported experiencing at least one form of
mistreatment, including emotional, physical, sexual, or neglect, in
the past year; and
WHEREAS, Elder and vulnerable adult abuse may be physical,
emotional, sexual, or fiduciary and consists of crimes that recognize
no boundaries of economic, educational, or social status, gender,
race, culture, religion, or geographic location; and
WHEREAS, Subtle indicators that abuse may be occurring include
bruises or pressure marks, unexplained withdrawal from normal
activities, a change in alertness, unusual depression, sudden changes
in financial situations, strained or tense relationships, or
frequent arguments; and
WHEREAS, Recognizing these signs is the first step toward the
prevention of elder and vulnerable adult abuse; and
WHEREAS, Elders who experience abuse or mistreatment face a
greater risk of impacting the health system or impacting the social
service system; and
WHEREAS, The growing rate of elder abuse and vulnerable adult
abuse exacts a heavy toll on public resources as elder financial
abuse victims often become nursing home residents that are dependent
upon Medi-Cal; and
WHEREAS, Elder and dependent adult victims have a mortality rate
three times that of the general public and are 300 percent more
likely to die a premature death; and
WHEREAS, The incidence of abuse and exploitation of the
developmentally disabled population is shocking. Over 80 percent of
women with developmental disabilities and over 30 percent of men with
developmental disabilities are sexually abused at least once during
their lifetime; and
WHEREAS, Given that one in every 110 babies born today has a
disorder on the autism spectrum, the rapid growth of special
populations in need of enhanced protection will further challenge an
overwhelmed patchwork of programs and services intended to protect
vulnerable adult populations; and
WHEREAS, Current estimates suggest that as few as one in 14 cases
of elder and vulnerable adult abuse is reported, including fewer than
one in 25 incidents of financial abuse, because the victims are
ashamed, hopeless, intimidated, or afraid of the perpetrator; and
WHEREAS, A comprehensive central data repository of all child
abuse investigations has been in existence since 1965, but no similar
repository exists for investigations of crimes against vulnerable,
elderly, and other dependent adults; and
WHEREAS, Even in 2015, with a rapidly expanding population of
elderly adults and other adults with disabilities that render them
vulnerable to predators, the State of California does not collect or
maintain comprehensive data on abuse cases, reports, or
investigations, thus inhibiting the government's capacity to be
informed about existing trends, and to make informed decisions about
the strategic use of existing resources, let alone improve the
existing reporting system, enhancing protections, or lending law
enforcement partners the tools necessary to secure justice; and
WHEREAS, The lack of statewide elder and vulnerable adult abuse
data prevents policymakers from measuring the extent of these crimes
and tragedies; and
WHEREAS, The lack of a statewide strategy that includes a single
point of contact to report an incident of abuse contributes to the
current state of underreporting, incomplete investigations, lack of
resources, ambiguous jurisdiction, and incomplete data; and
WHEREAS, The California Commission on Aging and the California
Elder Justice Coalition convened an elder justice summit in 2013
during which 140 experts and advocates identified shortcomings in
California's response to elder abuse and proposed promising
solutions, including an Elder Justice Blue Ribbon Panel to focus on
the problem; and
WHEREAS, Elders and vulnerable adults have the right to live
safely in the least restrictive environment, whether in their homes
or health care facilities, and to enjoy an optimum quality of life
while being protected from all forms of injustice; and
WHEREAS, Private citizens and public agencies must work to combat
crime and violence against elders and vulnerable adults, particularly
in the face of continued funding reductions in vital services; and
WHEREAS, Due to the ubiquitous nature of elder abuse, June 15 is
recognized internationally as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, first
established in 2006, to raise awareness of elder and vulnerable adult
abuse and to promote better understanding of the cultural, social,
economic and demographic issues behind the growing incidence of elder
and vulnerable adult abuse around the globe; and
WHEREAS, All Californians are strongly encouraged to report
suspected abuse of an elder or vulnerable adult by calling their
local adult protective services agency, Long-Term Care Ombudsman, law
enforcement, or emergency services agencies; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature proclaims and acknowledges
the month of June 2015 and every year thereafter as Elder and
Vulnerable Adult Abuse Awareness Month; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.