We are excited to announce Angelo Flowers has accepted the position of Adult Protection Supervisor. He started in this role on Wednesday, June 7.
Angelo is a leader in promoting social justice and culturally competent service delivery in adult protection. Angelo is a Master of Social Work (MSW), Licensed Graduate Social Worker (LGSW) and is current President of MN Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). He joined the DHS Adult Protection Unit in 2019 bringing a depth of experience from direct engagement with adults who are vulnerable and referred to protective services for maltreatment and as lead adult protective services (APS worker) responsible for analyzing county performance data to assurance quality services and compliance with Michigan state and federal policies.
While at DHS, Angelo served as an adult protection resource specialist and provided policy guidance, case consultation, and technical assistance for our county and tribal partners supporting safety and dignity for adults referred to APS. In his current DHS role, as the adult protection quality assurance program consultant, Angelo launched new initiatives to implement the state’s new Adult Protection Operational Plan, served as the DHS primary contact for new adult protection grants with the Administration for Community Living (ACL), and analyzed state data to illuminate trends in consistency and equity in outcomes for adults referred to APS.
In his new supervisory role, Angelo will lead the adult protection team members responsible for supporting our county and tribal partners through policy, consultation, training, grants, systems, data, and quality outcome evaluation. The adult protection system, and adults referred to APS as vulnerable and maltreated, will benefit from Angelo’s skills and leadership.
Congratulations Angelo!
|
The Minnesota Legislative session adjourned May 22, 2023. DHS is reviewing and analyzing new state allocations for adult protection, one-time and ongoing grants, and new allocation policy lSF 2934 Article 2, Section 7, which passed both legislative bodies and was signed by the Governor. Legislative session summary information will be provided when analysis is complete. Stay tuned!
ACL recently announced $13,829,521 in funding for Adult Protective Services (APS) under the authority of the Elder Justice Act. This is the first APS funding that is not one-time and is expected to be appropriated annually. See the Federal Register Notice announcing NEW Adult Protective Services Funding HERE.
DHS, as the state government agency responsible for APS in Minnesota, will receive $222,640. The funding formula is based on the number of older adults in the state. Spending categories are for APS programs, clients, and systems. DHS will follow the APS Operational Plan developed with stakeholders, including county and tribal partners, for spending plan priorities in ways consistent with guidance from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), the federal home of APS.
|
The June APS Foundations course on June 20 & 22 has been canceled, and new courses have been added: July 25 & 27 and August 22 & 24.
Additional APS Foundations course dates for 2023 are TBD, and will be announced in the Newsletter as soon as they are set.
The Minnesota Elder Justice Center will host the 17th annual Minnesota World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) Conference on June 15, 2023 in Brooklyn Center, MN. The goal of the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) Conference is to elevate the issues of elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. This educational event will provide training and exploration around best practices for prevention and intervention. The day will bring together 400+ aging, criminal justice and victim service professionals working with older and vulnerable victims.
The keynote address will be provided by Denny Chan, Managing Director of Justice in Aging's Equity Advocacy team. The son of working-class Chinese immigrant parents, Denny has worked significantly on non-discrimination, language access, and healthcare delivery reform issues for low-income older adults and brings all of these experiences to his advocacy.
More information about the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) Conference is available on the Minnesota Elder Justice Center (MEJC) website, including the conference agenda and registration information. Minnesota Department of Human Services is a sponsor of the 2023 WEAAD conference.
|
At-Risk Drivers
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) is a state agency with information for consumers and professionals about At-Risk Drivers who are not safe to operate motor vehicles. DPS can be a useful referral for reporters and adults subject to MAARC reports not accepted for APS, and in working with adult who are vulnerable, their medical providers, and support persons during APS assessment. APS has authority under Subd.10b and Subd.12b.(g) of the Vulnerable Adult Act to coordinate with state agencies to safeguard or prevent further maltreatment of an adult who is vulnerable and open to APS assessment.
Question?
Please connect with the DHS Adult Protection Unit at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us or (651) 431-2609.
|
Data help policy makers and the public understand the nature and scope of an issue. In the case of adult protection, data provide a basis to understand if vulnerable adults are treated fairly and justly in our state. Data can impact program evaluation, benchmarks for quality and performance outcomes, budget planning and resource allocation, and inform evidenced based prevention and remediation/service response for vulnerable adults who have been maltreated.
“Without data, you're just another person with an opinion."
― W. Edwards Deming
The image below is from the Evident Change presentation on 6/6/23. The left column on the slide shows 64% of reports reviewed between April 2020 - September 2022 had a completed SDM intake assessment and determined to meet VA status. The right column on the slide shows that 26% of reports were ultimately screened in for APS services after the application of county prioritization guidelines and policy overrides.
DHS Adult Protection Resource Specialist (APRS)
DHS Adult Protection Resource Specialist (APRS) staff support APS workers and supervisors with policy clarification and case consultation regarding intake, assessment, service intervention, and assessment outcomes for the safety and dignity of adults vulnerable to maltreatment reported as having experienced maltreatment.
Connect with an APRS today at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us or (651) 431-2609.
Vulnerable Adult Protection Dashboard
The Vulnerable Adult Protection Dashboard provides annual state and county data on the number of reports, allegations, and investigation determinations to explain what happens after reports of suspected maltreatment are made to the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC).
MN APS Foundations
MN APS Foundations is an online course offered by the MN DHS Adult Protection Unit and provides basic introduction to the MN adult protection system for new APS professionals, or APS professionals seeking a refresher. The course focuses on fundamental elements such as APS statutes, definitions, MAARC, MN APS Operational Plan, lead investigative agencies (LIAs), and APS case overview from intake to case closure. Attendees will need to complete both days to receive a certificate of completion.
APS Foundations training dates are intended to precede SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training offerings, so APS professionals have the option to attend policy-focused training (APS Foundations) and systems-focused training (SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training) sequentially.
Upcoming APS Foundations Dates (registration is for both days):
CANCELED: Jun 20 & 22, 2023 (Tu & Th), 8:30a - 12:30p each day
July 25 & 27, 2023 (Tu & Th), 8:30a - 12:30p each day | Click Here to Register
August 22 & 24, 2023 (Tu & Th), 8:30a - 12:30p each day | Click Here to Register
Additional 2023 dates TBD
MN APS Foundations supports equity and consistency in service response and outcomes that safeguard and promote dignity for vulnerable adults regardless of their location in Minnesota, and the course addresses core competency training recommendations in the ACL Voluntary Consensus Guidelines for State APS Systems.
Please contact us at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us if you have any questions.
SSIS Essentials eLearning
SSIS Essentials is a collection of six eLearning courses designed to provide caseworkers with an introduction to basic navigation and functionality of core SSIS functions. SSIS Essentials eLearning is offered through TrainLink. New workers are encouraged (not required) to take the online SSIS Essentials eLearning courses prior to taking SSIS Adult Protection Worker training.
Please visit the SSIS Essentials eLearning website for registration and TrainLink instructions, technical requirements, and more detailed information about each of the six SSIS Essentials courses.
SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training
The SSIS Adult Protection Worker course is a technical training designed to provide an overview of data entry as related to Adult Protective Services (APS) into SSIS. The training is offered in two half-day virtual classes and is designed for new adult protection workers, SSIS Mentors, and those seeking a refresher. New workers are encouraged to take the online SSIS Essentials eLearning courses prior to SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training. More information can be found on the SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training website.
Upcoming SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training:
- Jun 26 and 29, 2023 (Mon and Thurs) 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Please visit the SSIS Adult Protection Worker Training website for registration instructions, additional resources, and more detailed information about the course.
National Adult Protective Services Training Center (NATC)
The National Adult Protective Services Training Center (NATC) provides free training for APS professionals nationwide. NATC course topics include: APS Overview; Ethics, Values, and Cultural Responsiveness; Voluntary Case Planning; Trauma-Informed Practices; Case Documentation; and many more. To access, create a free account and click "Find Courses" to view available courses. Check out the NATC LMS User Guide if you need help creating an account or navigating the website.
The NATC is operated by NAPSA and is supported by the ACL. NATC training offerings are supplemental to MN APS Foundations training for APS professionals, and are one method to meet the MN APS statutory requirement of 8 hours annual training specific to adult protection duties.
|
APS Technical Assistance and Resource Center (TARC)
APS TARC provides a variety of no-cost educational opportunities for APS professionals including webinars, briefs, and toolkits that align with APS Core Competencies in national standards. APS TARC offerings address a wide variety of topics including APS supervision, frauds and scams, interviews with experts, APS investigation, impacts of COVID-19 on APS, and more. Keep up to date with APS TARC offerings by joining their mailing list.
|
Additional Practice Resources
Find information on adult protection policy, procedure, resources, and training information for mandated reporters and APS on the DHS Adult Protection: Policies and Procedures web page. Specific training resources for APS workers are included under the "Adult protection worker resources and training" drop down. These resources support APS workers meeting education requirements under 626.557 Subd. 9e.
The DHS Adult Protection Newsletter shares knowledge specific to adult protection work in MN, answers common questions regarding adult protection work in MN, and provides awareness of DHS Adult Protection training opportunities. Please contact us with any questions or concerns at dhs.adultprotection@state.mn.us or (651) 431-2609
For more information about DHS Adult Protection, please visit us online DHS AP: Program Overview
|
