The state agency responsible for overseeing investigations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elderly residents has agreed to eliminate by Oct. 1 a backlog of 300 cases awaiting investigation by hiring staff, responding to calls with 48 hours, and establishing new procedures to avoid future problems.
Vermont Legal Aid and two advocacy groups had threatened to sue the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living if officials had not agreed to the corrective action plan signed Tuesday by advocates and Commissioner Susan Wehry.
Advocates became aware of the size of the backlog at a December meeting with state officials.
“It’s been a problem for years," said attorney Barbara Prine of Legal Aid’s Disability Law Project. “People for the most part had lost faith in the adult protective system."
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VT Agres to Improve Elder Abuse Case Inquiries
Backlog is bad and now I'm afraid that in their haste to get caught up, they'll not give the attention needed to each case.
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