Connecticut Officers Start New Elder Justice Hotline

Posted: Jul 24, 2021 08:00 AM

HARTFORD — Legal professional Standard William Tong, Getting older and Disabilities Commissioner Amy Porter, Shopper Security Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull, and the Coalition for Elder Justice in Connecticut this 7 days introduced the Elder Justice Hotline, a “one quit shop” for older in grownups in Connecticut in require of data, assist, and justice.

Elder justice troubles can range from age-dependent discrimination in the place of work to ripoffs and frauds, abuse, neglect, and exploitation. As a end result, no single point out company can reply just about every issue. The Consumer Help Unit of the Business of the Legal professional Normal will team the hotline and refer matters to the ideal agencies throughout condition govt.

The hotline can be arrived at at 860-808-5555. Folks could also obtain information and facts about the hotline, means, and an on the web grievance portal at portal.ct.gov/ag/elderhotline.

“If you have been the victim of a scam, or have been neglected, exploited, or abused, we are below to help. It is difficult often to know who to contact, so we want to make it simple. The Elder Justice Hotline can reply your inquiries, join you with skilled investigators, and support you accessibility assist, guidance, and justice,” claimed AG Tong reported July 19 during the formal announcement unveiling the new motion.

Porter explained she and others really feel the hotline “will make it that significantly simpler for older older people and their people to make connections that aid their independence with dignity and respect.”

The Coalition for Elder Justice in Connecticut is a multidisciplinary, statewide group of private and public stakeholders doing the job with each other to avert elder abuse and safeguard the legal rights, independence, stability, and well-remaining of susceptible elders.

DCP Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull known as the new hotline “another crucial instrument in the toolbox for condition organizations to do the job together to safeguard individuals from age-centered discrimination in the place of work, ripoffs and frauds concentrating on more mature older people, elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.”

Stories of suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation gained by means of the hotline will be referred to the Protective Services for the Aged plan of the Division of Social Expert services. DSS social employees look into reviews of elder maltreatment and neglect, which include self-neglect, and intervene with solutions and connections to group partners.

Dr Deidre S. Gifford, Division of Social Solutions commissioner and Division of Community Wellness acting commissioner, reported, “Unfortunately, more mature older people are particularly susceptible to critical maltreatment, including actual physical, emotional, and even sexual abuse, along with neglect and financial exploitation.

“Our protecting solutions social employees assistance older people 60 and older by investigating allegations and furnishing or arranging for companies to alleviate and reduce further maltreatment,” Gifford added. “We also deliver conservator of human being and estate solutions when susceptible older grown ups have no a person to treatment for them or their interests.”

Department of Unexpected emergency Products and services and Community Defense Commissioner James Rovella noted, “This hotline will support legislation enforcement, as properly as family members and pals, secure our most qualified and vulnerable inhabitants. Our older populations from time to time have issues and panic when they are striving to report that they are a target. This will be a great assist.”

The Place of work of the Attorney General and the Coalition for Elder Justice in Connecticut have partnered with the following condition businesses and companies to aid the hotline: the Office of Banking, Section of Consumer Protection, Office of Psychological Overall health and Addiction Services, Office of General public Overall health, Section of Social Companies/Protecting Companies for the Aged, Lengthy-Expression Care Ombudsman, Law enforcement Training Academy, Section of Unexpected emergency Companies and Public Defense, and the Condition Unit on Aging/Section of Ageing and Disability Products and services.

For supplemental details, the AG Tong’s workplace can be achieved at 860-808-5318 or [email protected], adopted on Twitter at @AGWilliamTong, and discovered on Facebook at CT Attorney General.

Connecticut Legal professional Normal William Tong was joined by many state leaders on Monday to announce the Elder Justice Hotline, a “one cease shop” for older in adults in Connecticut in need to have of details, assist, and justice.