Collaboration

Given the complexity of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation cases, collaboration among various professionals is crucial.  Collaboration can occur in a number of ways.  In some instances, professionals informally discuss and work on specific cases, public awareness campaigns, prevention strategies, or cross-training.  These professionals work together without formal meetings or a structured agenda.

In other instances, professionals schedule regular meetings to come together formally for a specific purpose or goals.  Depending on the community and team, the focus and activities may be on specific cases or systems change.  Examples of elder abuse teams include:

• Interdisciplinary Case Review Teams
• Coordinated Community Response Teams (CCRs)
• Elder Abuse Fatality Review Teams
• Financial Abuse Specialist Teams (FASTs)
• Elder Abuse Forensic Centers
• Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs)

SELECTED RESOURCES & TOOLS

• The Collaboration Toolkit for Community Organizations: Effective Strategies to Partner with Law Enforcement (.PDF format)
  Authored by Michael S. McCampbell, September 2010
  From the toolkit's preface:  The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U.S. Department of Justice, has spent much time, resources, and effort in developing numerous publications to help law enforcement agencies work with their communities on addressing public safety issues. This toolkit is designed to help our communities initiate partnerships with their law enforcement agencies and collaborate on solving crime problems at the neighborhood level.