About E-MDTs
Each year at least 260,000 older adults are victims of elder abuse in New York State, and most of those cases go unreported. Elder abuse is the willful actions or inactions of a trusted person against an older adult. In New York State, we consider elder abuse to refer to individuals age 60 and older. Elder abuse may be emotional abuse, financial exploitation, active or passive neglect by other, physical abuse and sexual abuse. Most often, more than one form of abuse is occurring.
Enhanced Multidisciplinary Teams (E-MDTs) provide a coordinated response to elder abuse cases in each county in New York State. LASNNY operates the Mohawk E-MDT, which includes Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Schoharie, Warren, and Washington Counties. E-MDTs are comprised of professionals from various disciplines within each county whose primary focus is to intervene and prevent abuse of older adults including financial exploitation, physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect by other and/or emotional abuse. E-MDTs have unique access to a forensic accountant, civil legal attorney, and geriatric psychiatrist/mental health provider in addition to drawing on the expertise of disciplines including aging services, the financial industry, and local legal and law enforcement. The team provides a holistic response which includes recommendations and support to those working on cases of elder abuse.
E-MDT Membership
Membership is based on the unique needs and resources of the individual county. It is important to identify and recruit E-MDT members representing key programs and services within each county.
Key member agencies for each county include:
- Coordinator
- Adult Protective Services
- District Attorney’s Office
- Law enforcement
- Office for the Aging
Specialty Service Providers:
- Civil legal service providers
- Forensic Accountant
- Geriatric Psychiatrist/Mental Health Provider
Additional member agencies to consider may include:
- Elder abuse prevention providers
- Bank/credit unions
- Financial advisors
- Domestic violence service providers
- Ombudsman
- Welfare fraud investigator
- Veterans Administration
- Department of Social Services
- Elder law attorney
- County Attorney’s Office
- Attorney General’s Office
- Department of Taxation and Finance
LASNNY operates the Mohawk E-MDT. Lifespan oversees development of E-MDTs in Upstate NY. The New York City Elder Abuse Center (NYCEAC) oversees E-MDT development in New York City.
For more information regarding the Mohawk E-MDT, contact Darlene D’Onofrio, Mohawk E-MDT Coordinator at 518-842-9466 x. 295 or by email to [email protected]. For more information regarding the Enhanced Multidisciplinary Team program in general and/or to find the contact of a coordinator in another county, contact Allison Granata, Assistant Director for E-MDT Initiatives, 585-287-6440.
This program is funded in part by New York State Office for the Aging, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Victims of Crime, New York State Office of Victim Services and Lifespan of Greater Rochester. Any opinions, results, findings, and/or interpretations of data contained herein are the responsibility of LASNNY and do not necessarily represent the opinions, interpretations, or policy of the State of New York or the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Victims of Crime.
