(C) ensures that sufficient numbers of 
properly trained personnel with specialized 
knowledge are in place to treat, assess, and pro-
vide services relating to elder abuse, neglect, 
and exploitation, and carry out elder and vul-
nerable adult protection duties; 
(D) is sensitive to ethnic and cultural di-
versity; 
(E) recognizes the role of mental health, 
disability, dementia, substance abuse, medica-
tion mismanagement, and family dysfunction 
problems in increasing and exacerbating elder 
abuse, neglect, and exploitation; and 
(F) balances adults’ right to self-deter-
mination with society’s responsibility to protect 
elders and vulnerable adults. 
(14) The human, social, and economic cost of 
elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation is high and in-
cludes unnecessary expenditures of medicare and 
medicaid funds. 
(15) The failure to coordinate activities relating 
to, and comprehensively prevent and treat, elder 
abuse, neglect, and exploitation threatens the future 
and well-being of millions of elders in the United 
States. 
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(16) All elements of society in the United 
States have a shared responsibility in responding to 
the national problem of elder abuse, neglect, and ex-
ploitation. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act are as follows: 
(1) To bring a comprehensive approach to pre-
venting and combating elder abuse, neglect, and ex-
ploitation, a long invisible problem that afflicts the 
most vulnerable among the aging population of the 
United States. 
(2) To raise the issue of elder abuse, neglect, 
and exploitation to national attention, and to create 
the infrastructure at the Federal, State, and local 
levels to ensure that individuals and organizations 
on the front lines who are fighting elder abuse, ne-
glect, and exploitation with scarce resources and 
fragmented systems have the resources and informa-
tion needed to carry out their fight. 
(3) To bring a comprehensive multi-disciplinary 
approach to elder justice. 
(4) To set in motion research and data collec-
tion to fill gaps in knowledge about elder abuse, ne-
glect, and exploitation. 
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(5) To supplement the activities of service pro-
viders and programs, to enhance training, and to le-
verage scarce resources efficiently to ensure that 
elder justice receives the attention it deserves as the 
Nation’s population ages. 
(6) To examine the many different laws and 
practices relating to elder justice in different States 
and jurisdictions to ascertain which among those 
laws and practices are the most effective. 
(7) To promote the development of an effective 
adult fiduciary system, including an adult guardian-
ship system, that protects individuals with dimin-
ished capacity, maximizes their autonomy, and devel-
ops effective resources and an elder rights system. 
(8) To recognize and address the role of mental 
health, disability, dementia, substance abuse, medi-
cation mismanagement, and family dysfunction prob-
lems in increasing and exacerbating elder abuse, ne-
glect, and exploitation. 
(9) To create a short- and long-term strategic 
plan for the development and coordination of elder 
justice research, programs, studies, training, and 
other efforts nationwide. 
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(10) To promote collaborative efforts and di-
minish overlap and gaps in efforts in developing the 
important field of elder justice. 
TITLE I—DEPARTMENT OF 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 
SEC. 101. AMENDMENT TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT. 
The Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘TITLE XXII—ELDER JUSTICE 
‘‘SEC. 2201. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this title: 
‘‘(1) ABUSE.—The term ‘abuse’ means the 
knowing infliction of physical or psychological harm 
or the knowing deprivation of goods or services that 
are necessary to meet essential needs or to avoid 
physical or psychological harm. 
‘‘(2) ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES.—The term 
‘adult protective services’ means such services pro-
vided to adults as the Secretary may specify and in-
cludes services such as— 
‘‘(A) disseminating reports of adult abuse, 
neglect, or exploitation; 
‘‘(B) investigating the reports described in 
subparagraph (A); 
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‘‘(C) case planning, monitoring, evaluation, 
and other case work and services; and 
‘‘(D) providing, arranging for, or facili-
tating the provision of medical, social service, 
economic, legal, housing, law enforcement, or 
other protective, emergency, or support services. 
‘‘(3) CAREGIVER.—The term ‘caregiver’ means 
an individual who has the responsibility for the care 
of an elder, either voluntarily, by contract, by receipt 
of payment for care, or as a result of the operation 
of law and includes a family member or other indi-
vidual who provides (on behalf of such individual or 
of a public or private agency, organization, or insti-
tution) compensated or uncompensated care to an 
elder who needs supportive services in any setting. 
‘‘(4) DIRECT
CARE.—The term ‘direct care’ 
means care by a caregiver who provides assistance or 
long-term care services to a recipient. 
‘‘(5) ELDER.—The term ‘elder’ means an indi-
vidual age 60 or older. 
‘‘(6) ELDER JUSTICE.—The term ‘elder justice’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) from a societal perspective, efforts to 
prevent, detect, treat, intervene in, and pros-
ecute elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation and 
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