Elder Abuse Response Team (EART)

Brief Description

The Elder Abuse Response Team (EART) was established in Calgary as a partnership between Calgary Police Service, Carya (formerly Calgary Family Services), and the Kerby Centre. The team collaboratively identifies and assesses older adults at risk of abuse, formulates an intervention plan that may involve justice, social, and health systems, refers older adults to services in the community, engages in case management and follow up, and holds offenders accountable via charges or other means.

Goals

The main goal of the EART is to:

• Reduce victimization of older adults by providing a multidisciplinary continuum of services and supports. EART responds to situations in which older adults who are living in the community are allegedly experiencing abuse – whether physical, financial, sexual, or emotional – or neglect by a person in a position of trust or power.

Clientele

The appropriate clientele for the EART are seniors who are experiencing or are at-risk of experiencing abuse. 386 seniors and 45 offenders have received EART’s supports and interventions.

Core Components

The core components of the EART are to reduce victimization of seniors through assessment, intervention, case management, supports, and offender management; they are as follows:

• EART responds to reports of elder abuse and works together to conduct legal, social, and/or assessments and interventions;
• EART improves the health and well-being of older adults experiencing abuse by connecting them with health, legal, and social services and supports;
• EART assists in the management of perpetrators of abuse through charges, conditions, and service referrals; and
• EART works to increase the capacity of the community to respond to elder abuse through community development, awareness, and education activities.

Implementation Information

Some of the critical elements for the implementation of this program or initiative include the following:

• Organizational requirements: The Kerby Centre appears to have good capacity to reduce victimization of seniors through assessment, intervention, case management, supports, and offender management.
• Partnerships: Calgary Police Service, Carya (formerly Calgary Family Services), and the Kerby Centre.
• Training and technical assistance: Limited information on this topic.
• Risk assessment tools: Limited information on this topic.
• Materials & resources: Limited information on this topic.

International Endorsements

The most recognized classification systems of evidence-based crime prevention programs have classified this program or initiative as follows:

• Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development: Not applicable.
• Crime Solutions/OJJDP Model Program Guide: Not applicable.
• SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices: Not applicable.
• Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy: Not applicable.

Gathering Canadian Knowledge

Canadian Implementation Sites

EART was established in Calgary as a partnership between Calgary Police Service, Carya (formerly Calgary Family Services), and the Kerby Centre. This project has been implemented in Calgary (Alberta) from 2011 to 2014 and funded through the Safe Communities Innovation Fund (SCIF), Government of Alberta.

Main Findings from Canadian Outcome Evaluation Studies

No information available.

Cost Information

A social return on investment (SROI) has been conducted on the EART. The findings from this study have shown the following:

• The ratio for EART is 2.65:1, which indicates that for every dollar invested in the program, an average of $2.65 in social value was created; and
• The SROI accounts for the value created by providing supports and services to older adults and the management of offenders.

References

Alberta Community Crime Prevention Organizations. (2015). Social Return on Investment (SROI) Case Study: Elder Abuse Response Team (EART). Recipient of Safe Communities Innovation Fund, Government of Alberta. Available from: https://open.alberta.ca/publications/safe-communities-innovation-fund-pilot-project-executive-summaries

For more information on this program, contact:

Luanne Whitmarsh
Phone: (403)705-3251
E-mail: luannew@kerbycentre.com