Wise County to hold elder abuse training for professionals
Coming up in August, a day-long training event for professionals will be held at the Inn at Wise to focus on the investigation, prevention and prosecution of elder abuse.
The training is presented by the Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society and is open to attorneys, law enforcement, and others who work with older adults and citizens.
C.H. “Chuck” Slemp, III, Commonwealth’s Attorney for Wise County & the City of Norton, said, “The focus on elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation is a topic on the minds of many in Wise County and throughout Southwest Virginia. Since taking office in 2016, my office has been working hard to forge partnerships with others throughout the community to address these crimes and strive to prevent instances of abuse. Our Southwest Virginia Joint Senior Abuse Task Force was formed to raise public awareness and create opportunities for the community to learn about what can be done to safeguard our most vulnerable citizens. We are proud that our vision for a regional training on this topic has been realized and excited that this event provide a venue and chance to learn from nationally recognized experts in this field.”
The training, entitled “Elder Abuse: The Crime of the 21st Century,” is in collaboration with the Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the Wise County Victim Witness Assistance Program, Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens, Wise County Department of Social Services, and the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS).
Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. and presentations begin at 9:00 a.m. on August 3, 2018. The conference sessions will examine common barriers that prevent elder abuse cases from being prosecuted and the misconceptions that can deter law enforcement and prosecutors from holding perpetrators accountable. Financial exploitation, including how to deal with such issues as consent and undue influence, will also be addressed.
Nationally recognized experts will makeup the impressive agenda. Paul Greenwood, a retired Deputy District Attorney and former head of the Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit of San Diego County will discuss his 25 years as a prosecutor, involving the prosecution of over 600 felony cases of elder and dependent adult abuse. Phillip C. Marshall, the grandson of New York philanthropist Brooke Asher, will provide the keynote address and detail a personal story of his grandmother’s victimization. Robert B. Schaefer, a 10-year veteran of the FBI’s Behavior Sciences Unit, will discuss identity theft, fraud crimes, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and the law of diminished capacity.
A press release from the Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society, information graphic, speaker biographies, and a pdf brochure is attached hereto for additional reference. Because of limited space for this important training, advanced registration is requested. To register online, please visit https://swvalegalaid.regfox.com/2018-elder-abuse-conference or call Daveena Sexton with Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society at 276-783-8300.
