U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Elder Justice Innovation Grants

The Elder Justice Innovation Grants program supports the development and advancement of knowledge and approaches about new and emerging issues related to elder justice. Funded projects will contribute to the improvement of the field of elder abuse prevention and intervention at large, such as by developing materials, programs, etc. that can be widely disseminated and/or replicated, or by establishing and/or contributing to the evidence-base of knowledge. There are four options under which entities may apply:

1. Self-Neglect: This area is to further knowledge of the phenomenon of self-neglect. This includes: improved understanding of the population of people who self-neglect, including risk and protective factors for self-neglect, understanding what triggers the onset of self-neglect, and understanding the biological and psychosocial aspects and the impacts of self-neglect; and expanded knowledge about provider responses to self-neglect in terms of programs, policies, and practices, to include exploring interventions to prevent or address self-neglect, as well as identifying service infrastructures that can catch or prevent self-neglect.
2. Forensic Centers: Elder Abuse Forensic Centers (EAFC) can play a vital role in protecting vulnerable older Americans by strengthening the scientific, policy, and institutional aspects of the forensics of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. In general, they serve as a focal point for analyzing complex cases of elder abuse by convening experts for the purpose of doing a forensic examination of open complex cases. Identifying and documenting the forensic markers of elder abuse when encountered by those in the medical and scientific fields is one focus of forensic centers. EAFCs also are conveners, and often are the locus for coordinated community response on a case-by-case basis.
3. Addressing Abuse in Guardianship: This area will support activities to avoid unnecessary guardianship and prevent and address abuses within a state and/or local guardianship system through one or more of the following approaches: establishment, expansion, or enhancement of multidisciplinary efforts to improve a state’s guardianship system, such as through “Working Interdisciplinary Networks of Guardianship Stakeholders (WINGS)”, and other similar approaches; establishment, expansion, or enhancement of guardianship mediation and/or other guardianship diversion programs at the state or local level; and establishment, expansion, or enhancement of alternatives to guardianship at the state or local level, such as the “Supported Decision-Making” model.
4. Addressing Elder Abuse in Indian Country: Applicants under this area will support the continued development of evidence-based information and practices on elder abuse prevention and response in Indian Country. This funding opportunity will support one (1) grantee to administer a “Tribal Mini-Grants” initiative to prevent, identify, and/or address elder abuse in Indian Country. The selected grantee is expected to award, through a competitive process, mini-grants to a tribal community-based organization to carry out specific activities to prevent, identify, and/or address elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation in their local community.

Amount: Varies by project type:

• Self Neglect: One award at up to $500,000 per year for a 24-month project period
• Forensic Center: One award at approximately $500,000 per year for a 24-month project period
• Addressing Abuse in Guardianship: One award at up to $500,000 per year for a 24-month project period
• Addressing Elder Abuse in Indian Country: One award at up to $350,000 per year for a 24-month project period

Eligibility: Domestic public or private non-profit entities including state and local governments, Indian tribal governments and organizations (American Indian/Alaskan Native/Native American), faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, hospitals, and institutions of higher education.

Link: http://www.acl.gov/Funding_Opportunities/Announcements/Index.aspx

Note: A letter of intent is due by May 19, 2016.

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