On October 3, 2017, the US House of Representatives passed S. 178, the Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act, on a voice vote. S. 178 passed the Senate in August under Unanimous Consent. The bill would work to prevent elder abuse and exploitation through a number of mechanisms, including: supporting federal prosecution of abuse cases, improving data collection and coordination, enhancing assistance to victims of elder abuse, among other new directives for the Department of Justice (DOJ).
S. 178 must now be signed by the President in order to become law. To learn more about the bill, see here.
In Ohio, LeadingAge Ohio testified in support of SB168, which seeks to combat Elder Fraud using a multi-pronged approach, including awareness, increased penalties and county funding to prevent elder fraud.