PROGRAMS FOR PREVENTION OF ELDER ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND EXPLOITATION.

SEC. 703. PROGRAMS FOR PREVENTION OF ELDER ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND EXPLOITATION. (a) Purpose.— The purpose of this section is to assist States in the design, development, and coordination of comprehensive services of the State and local levels to prevent, treat, and remedy elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. (b) Programs.— Title VII of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (as added by section 701, and amended by section 702) is amended by adding at the end the following: “CHAPTER 3— PROGRAMS FOR PREVENTION OF ELDER ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND EXPLOITATION “SEC. 721. PREVENTION OF ELDER ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND EXPLOITATION. “(a) Establishment.— In order to be eligible to receive an allotment under section 703 from funds appropriated under section 702(b), a State agency shall, in accordance with this section, and in consultation with area agencies on aging, develop and enhance programs for the prevention of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. “(b) Use of Allotments.— The State agency shall use an allotment made under subsection (a) to carry out, through the programs described in subsection (a), activities to develop, strengthen, and106 STAT. 1283 carry out programs for the prevention and treatment of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including— “(1) providing for public education and outreach to identify and prevent elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; “(2) ensuring the coordination of services provided by area agencies on aging with services instituted under the State adult protection service program; “(3) promoting the development of information and data systems, including elder abuse reporting systems, to quantify the extent of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation in the State; “(4) conducting analyses of State information concerning elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation and identifying unmet service, enforcement, or intervention needs; “(5) conducting training for individuals, professionals, and paraprofessionals, in relevant fields on the identification, prevention, and treatment of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, with particular focus on prevention and enhancement of self-determination and autonomy; “(6) providing technical assistance to programs that provide or have the potential to provide services for victims of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation and for family members of the victims; “(7) conducting special and on-going training, for individuals involved in serving victims of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, on the topics of self-determination, individual rights, State and Federal requirements concerning confidentiality, and other topics determined by a State agency to be appropriate; and “(8) promoting the development of an elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation system— “(A) that includes a State elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation law that includes provisions for immunity, for persons reporting instances of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, from prosecution arising out of such reporting, under any State or local law; “(B) under which a State agency— “(i) on receipt of a report of known or suspected instances of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation, shall promptly initiate an investigation to substantiate the accuracy of the report; and “(ii) on a finding of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation, shall take steps, including appropriate referral, to protect the health and welfare of the abused, neglected, or exploited older individual; “(C) that includes, throughout the State, in connection with the enforcement of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation laws and with the reporting of suspected instances of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation— “(i) such administrative procedures; “(ii) such personnel trained in the special problems of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation prevention and treatment; “(iii) such training procedures; “(iv) such institutional and other facilities (public and private); and “(v) such related multidisciplinary programs and services,106 STAT. 1284 as may be necessary or appropriate to ensure that the State will deal effectively with elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation cases in the State; “(D) that preserves the confidentiality of records in order to protect the rights of older individuals; “(E) that provides for the cooperation of law enforcement officials, courts of competent jurisdiction, and State agencies providing human services with respect to special problems of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; “(F) that enables an older individual to participate in decisions regarding the welfare of the older individual, and makes the least restrictive alternatives available to an older individual who is abused, neglected, or exploited; and “(G) that includes a State clearinghouse for dissemination of information to the general public with respect to— “(i) the problems of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation; “(ii) the facilities described in subparagraph (C)(iv); and “(iii) prevention and treatment methods available to combat instances of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. “(c) Approach.— In developing and enhancing programs under subsection (a), the State agency shall use a comprehensive approach, in consultation with area agencies on aging, to identify and assist older individuals who are subject to abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including older individuals who live in State licensed facilities, unlicensed facilities, or domestic or community-based settings. “(d) Coordination.— In developing and enhancing programs under subsection (a), the State agency shall coordinate the programs with other State and local programs and services for the protection of vulnerable adults, particularly vulnerable older individuals, including programs and services such as— “(1) area agency on aging programs; “(2) adult protective service programs; “(3) the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman program established in chapter 2; “(4) protection and advocacy programs; “(5) facility and long-term care provider licensure and certification programs; “(6) medicaid fraud and abuse services, including services provided by a State medicaid fraud control unit, as defined in section 1903(q) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(q)); “(7) victim assistance programs; and “(8) consumer protection and law enforcement programs, as well as other State and local programs that identify and assist vulnerable older individuals. “(e) Requirements.— In developing and enhancing programs under subsection (a), the State agency shall— “(1) not permit involuntary or coerced participation in such programs by alleged victims, abusers, or members of their households; “(2) require that all information gathered in the course of receiving a report described in subsection (b)(8)(B)(i), and106 STAT. 1285 making a referral described in subsection (b)(8)(B)(ii), shall remain confidential except— “(A) if all parties to such complaint or report consent in writing to the release of such information; “(B) if the release of such information is to a law enforcement agency, public protective service agency, licensing or certification agency, ombudsman program, or protection or advocacy system; or “(C) upon court order; and “(3) make all reasonable efforts to resolve any conflicts with other public agencies with respect to confidentiality of the information described in paragraph (2) by entering into memoranda of understanding that narrowly limit disclosure of information, consistent with the requirement described in paragraph (2). “(f) Designation.— The State agency may designate a State entity to carry out the programs and activities described in this chapter.”.