National Elder Justice Coalition Center

State and tribal elder justice coalitions have proven to be effective vehicles for raising awareness about the needs of older adults impacted by all forms of mistreatment and for promoting advocacy for a robust and coordinated community response to their justice needs. Yet, elder justice coalitions exist in less than half the states and in few tribal communities.

Lifespan of Greater Rochester (Lifespan) will serve as the lead agency of a consortium of elder justice organizations and specialists with many years of experience and depth of expertise in the field to establish a National Elder Justice Coalition Center (NEJCC). Consortium partners include the Minnesota Elder Justice Coalition, Ohio Coalition for Adult Protective Services, the National Network of State Elder Justice Coalitions, and Jacque Gray, PhD, specialist in Native American elder justice affairs.  

The National Elder Justice Coalition Center, will support the development of new state and tribal coalitions, will offer ongoing training and technical assistance to new and existing coalitions, and will serve as a clearinghouse for resources and information concerning elder justice issues, programs, and advocacy. In the first year of operation the Center will issue a competitive Request for Proposals for two-year funding for seven grants for the development of new statewide or tribal coalitions or for the enhancement of existing state and tribal coalitions. The Center will create a comprehensive website including information about elder justice as well as a library of resources. Center partners will assist new and existing coalitions in organizing statewide or regional training opportunities and will offer opportunities to regularly meet as group to discuss challenges, best practice and to engage in mutual problem solving. The Center will develop a guide to assist the development of future coalitions and provide direction in the areas of recruitment, sponsorship, operations and sustainability.

The National Elder Justice Coalition Center will also collaborate with federal agencies and initiatives to coordinate efforts and activities in the area of elder justice. Drawing on the experience and expertise of multiple leading organizations and experts in the elder justice field, the Center will aim to advance the goal of a safe and healthy life free of mistreatment and exploitation for all older Americans.