An Enhanced Multidisciplinary Team in a Rural Community

The purpose of this award, funded under the OVC FY 2019 Transforming America's Response to Elder Abuse: Coordinated, Enhanced Multi-Disciplinary Teams (MDTs) for Older Victims of Abuse and Financial Exploitation Program, is to support elder abuse multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) as enhanced MDT’s (E-MDTs) at the rural, tribal, local or state levels, including existing and new teams. Through this solicitation, OVC seeks to support organizations which demonstrate innovative strategies to create, expand, or enhance the use of technology initiatives on a national scale or that can be relicated nationally to improve response, services, and access for victims of crime.

The goal of this project is to enhance the capacity of rural communities to address elder abuse and financial exploitation through the creation and support of an enhanced multidisciplinary team (E-MDT). The project will augment the work currently being done to create a coordinated community response coalition and victim referral services. The objectives of the project are to: 1) review the bests practices currently implemented in Luce, Mackinac, and Chippewa Counties, and support victim services referrals and case management for older adults who have been abused; 2) hire the Enhanced Multidisciplinary Team Coordinator, develop the community plan, and establish the processes for gathering and reporting data; 3) using research and feedback, design the multidisciplinary team, enhancing it with the inclusion of needed specialists; 4) operate the E-MDT, doing case reviews for at least 150 referrals, providing in-depth assistance to 25 victims and prosecution of 5 perpetrators of elder abuse; 5) provide training and resources to E-MDT; and 6) create a short implementation guide on establishing an enhanced multidisciplinary team, facilitated by technology, in a rural community.

CA/NCF