卫生与公众服务部拨款逾970万美元 防长者受虐待与财务剥削
华盛顿 — 美国卫生与公众服务部（HHS）11月9日宣布，通过其社区生活管理局（ACL）拨出逾970万美元新拨款，帮助长者保障安全、自主做决定并与社区保持联系。这笔钱将用于试验预防虐待、忽视与财务剥削的新办法，扩大法律援助，加强对养老院等护理机构住户的权益倡导，并帮助经济与社会需求最大的女性提升财务知识。
该部给出的背景数字是：仅财务剥削一项，估计每年让美国长者损失283亿美元；每年至少十分之一的长者经历某种形式的虐待；围绕长照机构住户权利、安全与照护质量的咨询与案件，监察员项目每年要处理数十万件。
卫生与公众服务部长 Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. 说：「美国长者有权有尊严地生活、自己做决定，并守住辛苦挣下的东西。」他表示，这笔投资将把实用的工具与可信的支持送进社区，帮助长者守住独立生活与财务安全。社区生活管理局首席副局长、长者司法协调委员会轮值主席 Mary Lazare 说，这些拨款把帮助送到长者身边，无论是能处理诈骗或监护案件的律师、倾听养老院住户心声的监察员，还是帮女性守住退休金的信息。
拨款分四部分。第一部分是长者司法创新拨款：长者司法与成人保护服务办公室新授6笔、三年共5,609,058美元，用于开发和试验应对新型长者司法问题的办法，得主包括 Texas Healthy at Home（Texas Elder Justice Coalition）、威斯康星州司法部、University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences、University of Missouri、Hebrew Rehabilitation Center 与 Yale University。
第二部分是法律援助强化计划：新授4笔、两年共1,899,218美元，支持各地以新方式扩大或改进面向有经济或社会需求长者的法律服务，得主为 Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma Inc.、Skokomish Indian Tribe、Southern Nevada Senior Law Program 与 Utah Legal Services Inc.，处理范围包括虐待、忽视、剥削、诈骗与监护等优先法律事项。
第三、四部分是两个全国资源中心：老龄管理局授出三年1,549,221美元，由 National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care 运营全国长照监察员资源中心，为全美53个州级长照监察员项目提供培训与技术支持；另授三年717,000美元，由 Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement 运营全国妇女与退休资源中心，向经济与社会需求最大的女性提供管理钱财、规划退休与防范身份盗窃、诈骗和财务剥削的实用信息。
社区生活管理局的这项工作是联邦长者司法协调委员会（EJCC）统筹的一部分，该委员会协调各联邦机构在预防虐待、忽视与剥削、早期介入、保护服务与问责方面的工作。
（来源：美国卫生与公众服务部）
HHS Awards More Than $9.7 Million to Prevent Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through its Administration for Community Living (ACL), announced on November 9 more than $9.7 million in new awards to help older adults stay safe, make their own choices, and stay connected to their communities. The funding will test new ways to prevent abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation; expand legal help; strengthen advocacy for people living in nursing homes and other care facilities; and help women with the greatest economic and social need build financial know-how.
The department cited the scale of the problem: financial exploitation alone is estimated to cost older Americans $28.3 billion annually, at least 1 in 10 older adults experience some form of abuse each year, and long-term care ombudsman programs handle hundreds of thousands of consultations and cases annually over residents' rights, safety, and quality of care.
"Older Americans have earned the right to live with dignity, control their own lives, and protect what they worked hard to build," said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., adding that the investment puts practical tools and trusted support into communities to help older Americans safeguard their independence and financial security. Mary Lazare, ACL Principal Deputy Administrator and delegated chair of the Elder Justice Coordinating Council, said the grants put practical help within reach, whether that is a lawyer who can help with a scam or a guardianship case, an ombudsman who listens to a nursing home resident, or clear information that helps a woman protect her retirement.
The awards have four parts. First, ACL's Office of Elder Justice and Adult Protective Services is awarding six new Elder Justice Innovation Grants totaling $5,609,058 over three years to develop and test approaches to new and emerging elder justice problems. Recipients are Texas Healthy at Home (Texas Elder Justice Coalition), the Wisconsin Department of Justice, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, the University of Missouri, Hebrew Rehabilitation Center, and Yale University.
Second, the same office is awarding four new Legal Assistance Enhancement Program grants totaling $1,899,218 over two years to expand or improve legal services for older adults with economic or social needs. Recipients are Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma Inc., the Skokomish Indian Tribe, the Southern Nevada Senior Law Program, and Utah Legal Services Inc., covering priority legal issues including abuse, neglect, exploitation, fraud, and guardianship.
Third and fourth are two national resource centers. ACL's Administration on Aging awarded a three-year grant of $1,549,221 to the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care to operate the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center, providing training and technical assistance to 53 State Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs. It also awarded a three-year grant of $717,000 to the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement to operate the National Resource Center for Women and Retirement, providing practical information on managing money, planning for retirement, and preventing identity theft, fraud, and financial exploitation for women with the greatest economic and social need.
ACL does this work as part of the Elder Justice Coordinating Council (EJCC), which coordinates federal work on elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, from prevention and early help to protective services and accountability.
(Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
来源：美国卫生与公众服务部
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：图：美国卫生与公众服务部总部 Humphrey 大楼（GSM 固定图库）。 / Photo: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services headquarters, the Humphrey Building (GSM asset library).
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