What's happening
This bill authorizes the creation of county-level multi-disciplinary teams to address complex adult abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation cases in New York.
Why it matters
Brings together diverse professional expertise. By forming teams that include professionals from healthcare, mental health, protective services, social work, finance, legal services, and law enforcement, the bill ensures that complex adult abuse cases are addressed from multiple, informed perspectives, increasing the chance for thorough investigation and effective intervention.
Enhances coordination and accountability. The inclusion of a full-time, skilled team coordinator at each demonstration location means cases can be triaged, discussed, and monitored systematically—helping to prevent cases from falling through bureaucratic cracks and improving follow-through for victims.
Addresses financial exploitation specifically. Including specialists such as forensic accountants and representatives from financial institutions means the program targets not just physical or emotional abuse but also the growing problem of financial exploitation of adults, particularly elders.
Establishes secure data tracking. A secure database for intake, tracking, and outcome measurement aims to improve data collection and case management, allowing for better analysis of what interventions work and potential system improvements in the future.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Team Approach to Adult Abuse
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.692
- Referred to children and families
- Reported and committed to rules
- Referred to children and families
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Help Teams for Abused Adults
In Assembly Committee · Aging · Sponsor Marcos Crespo
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5803
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 1, 2017
Introduced by Sens. LANZA, AVELLA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Children and Families
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to creating the multidisciplinary team demonstration program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Legislative findings. The utilization of multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) can be extremely valuable in the implementation of certain programs, particularly those which are likely to have a widespread impact and affect several professions, as is the case with most systems of mandatory reporting. MDTs make use of the experience, expertise, and perspectives which may be unique to individuals involved in one of the affected professions. Before a program is implemented which may have a broad impact, MDTs can be a valuable resource in developing an effective strategy that minimizes unintended negative consequences. In many instances, it is appropriate for a government entity to establish an MDT with which the entity may collaborate with and seek input from regarding the specifics of a planned project.
Beyond the general usefulness of MDTs, where a proposed program which will affect the members of many professions is to be created by statute, it is often recommended to also include language providing for the establishment of MDT to provide input on any specifics not contained in the statute. This inclusion ensures that the involved professions have a chance to be heard before a program is implemented in a way which might adversely affect the members of such professions or the individuals served by the professions.
§ 2. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 501-i to read as follows:
§ 501-i. Multi-disciplinary team demonstration program. The office of children and family services is hereby authorized, in conjunction with the office for the aging, to establish a multi-disciplinary team demon-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08266-01-7
S. 5803 2
stration program, subject to appropriation of funds for the program, to establish multi-disciplinary teams at the county level for complex cases of adult abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation. Such multi-disciplinary teams will be comprised of professionals across disciplines that provide professional knowledge and expertise of their respective professional disciplines, as well as a full-time, skilled and experienced multi-disciplinary team coordinator for each demonstration location. The multi-disciplinary team coordinator will provide case consultation, triage cases, facilitate county-level multi-disciplinary team meetings, monitor progress, and facilitate coordination and cooperative action in the provision of appropriate services to an individual identified as being a victim of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation, as well as other duties associated with the role. Such multi-disciplinary teams shall consist of representation by professionals generally authorized to make decisions on behalf of their agency from selected public, private, and voluntary agencies including but not limited to health/medical, mental health, aging, protective services, human services, social work, banking/financial institutions, legal services, and law enforcement agencies, and include specialty services such as forensic accounting, geriatrics, and psychiatry/geropsychiatry, on a fee-for-service basis. A secure database use by the multi-disciplinary team coordinator for intake, tracking, and outcomes of such cases will be established and used as part of the demonstration program.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to creating the multi-disciplinary team demonstration program
Purpose or general idea of the bill
Creates the multi-disciplinary team demonstration program for complex cases of adult abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 examines the utilization and value of multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) and making use of experience, expertise and perspectives with the intention of minimizing unintended negative consequences.
Read the full memo (715 words)
Beyond the usefulness of MDTs, it is often recommended to include language providing for the establishment of the MDT to provide input in any specifics not contained in the statue. This inclusion ensures that the involved professions have a chance to be heard before a program is implemented in a way which might adversely affect the members of such professions or the individuals served by the professions.
Section 2. Section 501-I is added to amend executive law to read as follows:
501-i. MDT program. The office of children and family services is authorized to establish a MDT program to establish multi-disciplinary teams at the county level for cases of adult abuse, neglect, or finan- cial exploitation. It will be comprised of professionals across disci- plines that provide professional knowledge and expertise of their respective disciplines as well as a full-time MDT coordinator for each demonstration location. The team coordinator will provide case consulta- tion, facilitate MDT meetings, monitor progress, and facilitate coordi- nation and cooperative action in the provision of appropriate services to an individual identified as being a victim of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation. A secure database use by the MDT coordinator for intake, tracking and outcomes of such cases will be established and used as part of the demonstration program.
Section 3. Takes effect immediately.
Justification
One in nine seniors reported being abused, neglected or exploited in the past twelve months. The rate of financial exploitation is extremely high, with 1 in 20 older adults indicating some form of perceived finan- cial mistreatment occurring in the recent past. Elder abuse is vastly underreported with only one in 44 cases of financial abuse is ever reported. This leads to abused seniors being three times more likely to die and elder abuse victims four times more likely to go into a nursing home. 90t of abusers are family members or trusted others. Cognitive impairment and the need for help with activities of daily living make victims more vulnerable to financial abuse.
The devastating effects of financial exploitation on a vulnerable adult:
*Loss of trust in others *Loss of security *Depression *Feelings of fear, shame, guilt, anger, self-doubt, worthlessness *Financial destitution *Inability to replace lost assets through employment *Inability to hire attorney to pursue legal protections and remedies *Becoming reliant on government 'safety net' programs *Inability to provide long term care needs *Loss of primary residence
Acting pursuant to the "Older Americans Act," the New York State Legis- lature has created and adopted many laws affecting 'social, educational, financial and support service programs for seniors. However, unlike several states, New York has failed to enact specific penal statutes to aid in the prosecution of those who financially victimize vulnerable senior citizens and persons with a disability. As New York's senior citizen population has increased, there has also been a marked increase in the reported incidents of financial abuse of our aging population.
The types of offenses range from theft of funds from checking accounts to real estate and investment fraud. There is a tendency for the offen- der to be an individual with a close relationship to the victim, espe- cially a family member, caretaker, or friend. The elderly individual or person with a disability is particularly vulnerable to their offenders since they rely upon them for the requirements of their daily living.
Today a majority of states have criminal statutes to specifically address financial abuse of elderly or disabled persons. Prosecutors in New York have found that current larceny statutes are not an adequate means to prosecute this increasing criminal conduct.
Prior legislative history
2017: S.5803 - Referred to Children & Families / A.5092 - Referred to Aging 2016: S.7620 - Referred to Children & Families / A.9608 - Referred to Aging
Fiscal implications for state and local government
None
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.