Wolk Introduces Bill to Strengthen Law on Elder Abuse

Assembly 8th District, Apr 24, 2008

Bill requires reporting abuse in long-term care facilities to local district attorney

SACRAMENTO–Assemblywoman Lois Wolk (D-Davis) introduced legislation this week to strengthen reporting of elder and dependent adult abuse in long-term care facilities.

“Instances of abuse are occurring at an alarming rate in California nursing homes, and every year hundreds of cases are never even reported to the district attorney,” said Wolk.  “My bill works to ensure that these cases are reported quickly to the local district attorney before evidence is lost or destroyed, or witnesses forget key details, making it impossible to prosecute the criminals perpetrating these horrible crimes.”

Assembly Bill 2100 requires ombudspersons at long-term care facilities to report cases of alleged or suspected physical abuse, including sexual abuse, and financial abuse to the local district attorney’s office.

Currently, ombudspersons are required to report known or suspected cases of abuse to one of several state agencies. They are not required to report incidents to the local district attorney, who is better situated to investigate and, when warranted, prosecute the case. Every year, thousands of abuse cases are reported to state agencies. But only a handful ever reaches the attention of local prosecutors.

"This bill provides an important and necessary link to substantially reduce the number of unreported abuses occurring in nursing homes,” said Shirley Krohn, a senior assembly member in the California Senior Legislature, which is sponsoring the bill. “The California Senior Legislature is pleased and proud to be a sponsor of this legislation."