Program Overview
The elder abuse enhanced multidisciplinary team, or E-MDT, is made up of professionals from various fields brought together to discuss complex cases of elder abuse and create action plans to offer resources and services to the victim through a collaborative approach to elder justice.
Contact Information:
Haley Gordon
Elder Abuse E-MDT Coordinator
84 Wheeler Road
Central Islip, NY 11722
(631) 439-0480 ext. 313
haley.gordon@eac-network.org
Program Contact:
Kristin Lhuillier
Program Director
Program Description
The Problem:
According to the Department of Justice- Elder Justice Initiative website, only 1 in 24 elder abuse cases are ever reported, leaving most victims without the support and services they need. Neglect and financial exploitation are the most common types of abuse older adults are facing with the abuser usually being a well-known and trusted person in the victim’s life. For elder abuse victims, positive social support is the single most important factor in deterring on-going abuse and revictimization.
Our Solution:
The Suffolk County E-MDT helps victims of elder abuse (physical, emotional, neglect by others, financial exploitation, sexual) by bringing together entities with unique resources and skills to provide cross-systems collaboration and specialized responses. The team acts as a network for victims and assists in referring to and providing services for the victim to restore them to a state of stability and safety, as well as providing on-going monitoring when necessary to prevent continued or recurring abuse.
How We Do It
The Elder Abuse Enhanced Multidisciplinary Team (EMDT) meets monthly to create action plans that address the immediate concerns as well as long-term needs of the victim. Our E-MDT is made up of experienced professionals within Suffolk County Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office, Adult Protective Services, Office for the Aging, Victim’s Information Bureau, the Senior Citizens Law Program at Touro Law Center, Forensic Accounting, Geriatric neuropsychiatry, geriatric medicine and other social service and law agencies around Suffolk County. A team member from a member agency brings in a client that, in addition to stopping the initial abuse, may require other services that the referring agency may not be able to provide, such as police interference, housing, financial assistance, medical or victim’s services, and legal actions against the offender.
This program is funded in part by New York State Office for the Aging, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Victims of Crime, New York State Office of Victim Services, and Lifespan of Greater Rochester and the Safe Center LI, INC. Any opinions, results, findings, and\or interpretations of data contained herein are the responsibility of EAC Network and do not necessarily represent that opinions, interpretations, or policy of the state of New York, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Victims of Crime, or Lifespan of Greater Rochester or The Safe Center LI, INC.