BEXAR COUNTY, Texas \u2013 Abuse and exploitation of local senior citizens is rampant in Bexar County. Last year, Adult Protective Services confirmed almost 5,400 cases of elder abuse or neglect in the county. <\/p>\n
Bexar County has the second-highest numbers in the state. Some local agencies are vowing to take action, much to the relief of seniors and their families.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is rampant. I was shocked,\u201d Melissa Cross said. \u201cI\u2019ve even met other friends who have been through this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cross said in 2020, her mother in San Antonio was financially exploited by hired caregivers.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was living off a marital trust and when she became ill with vascular dementia, she was taken advantage of,\u201d Cross said. <\/p>\n
Since her mother\u2019s death, Cross has been advocating for more attention on these types of cases. <\/p>\n
Bexar County Probate 2 Judge Veronica Vasquez sees those types of cases every day, which can include elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a probate court judge, I see all forms of it. Nobody seems to talk about it,\u201d Vasquez said, which is why she decided to be the one to talk about it. <\/p>\n
In 2019, Vasquez and state Sen. Jose Menendez created the Bexar County Elder Abuse and Exploitation Task Force. It joined local agencies to close gaps and stop seniors from falling through the cracks.<\/p>\n
However, the task force realized the cases needed to be addressed weekly, not monthly. There also needed to be dedicated workers to focus solely on those cases. <\/p>\n
The county helped Vasquez apply for grants, and this month, they finally got one. <\/p>\n
They secured a $186,000 grant for the Bexar County Senior Justice Assessment Center to bring laser focus to these cases. It will be just the second center of its kind in the state, modeled after Harris County\u2019s.<\/p>\n
The center will be staffed with two full-time social workers, which is where a lot of the grant money is going.<\/p>\n
It would also include partners from a range of agencies, including the San Antonio Police Department, Bexar County Sheriff\u2019s Office, Adult Protective Services and possibly social services like Meals on Wheels and the Diaper Bank.<\/p>\n
Those agencies would make referrals to the center when a senior seems to be dealing with abuse, neglect or exploitation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen at that point, it\u2019s the roundtable discussion where it will be on that week\u2019s docket, and then they go through, this is the person, this is the incident, what all at the table can we provide this person,\u201d Vasquez explained. <\/p>\n
They\u2019ll offer seniors protective orders, victim compensation funds, help with food insecurity or even help cutting their grass. <\/p>\n
News of the center\u2019s approval filled Cross with gratitude.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that this doesn\u2019t happen to anybody else,\u201d Cross said.<\/p>\n
She has been a huge advocate for the center, communicating with Vasquez through the process. <\/p>\n
Now that the grant has been approved, details are being ironed out. What is set in stone is that the SJAC would fall within the Bexar County Health Department.<\/p>\n
Once details are set, the Bexar County Commissioners Court will need to approve the center before it begins service.<\/p>\n
Read also:<\/p>\n
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