The primary aim for this project is to standardize and enhance reporting and investigation of financial exploitation of older people. The development of the app/platform will establish a structure for multi-disciplinary collaborative interventions across agencies with the goal of providing vulnerable older adults with more timely interventions to identify and prevent financial abuse.
Key benefits of the platform provides:
- Communication and case status – Reporting financial institutions will be able to check case status information from reporting agencies
- Collaboration – Platform will enable investigating agencies (APS) to submit additional information and updates to the system, including the agency contact person and case status using a standardized dashboard
- Platform will prevent duplicate referrals and promote collaboration by cross-referencing case information
- Digital forensic analysis to detect signs and or patterns of financial exploitation will be made available
This project is be a significant advance in combatting financial exploitation of older Americans. It provides a single portal for financial institutions to report and take action. It will provide a platform for standardized communication and joint work between financial institutions, APS, and law enforcement to intervene to prevent these crimes against vulnerable adults.
HelpVul is developed and currently piloted in four locations: San Francisco and San Francisco County, Missouri, Montana and North Carolina.