Working with Partners (continued)
Children's Advocacy Centers
Children’s advocacy centers (CACs) work with APS on abuse and neglect investigations. CACs provide a safe environment where community agencies share information and develop coordinated strategies to meet the needs of APS clients. They provide specialized forensic interviews and minimize the need for multiple agencies to interview victims of abuse separately. In 2019, 98 percent of Texas counties are served by one of the 71 programs in Texas.
Texas Partners for APS & Resource Rooms
Texas Partners for Adult Protective Services is a statewide non-profit organization. It works with APS to improve the lives of clients by developing resources that support APS clients and staff. Twenty-five non-profit boards from around the state elect members to the Texas Partners for APS board, which works with local boards to raise funds and educate the public and service providers on abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation issues. Texas Partners for APS and local boards collect donations to stock emergency resource rooms in APS offices with supplies that APS caseworkers use, 24 hours a day, to help older adults or those with a disability who are being abused or neglected. In FY 2019, there were 41 resource rooms in 157 Texas counties. Resource rooms go by several different names such as Bridge Rooms, Silver Star Rooms, and Silver Ribbon Rooms.
Banfield Foundation
Adults receiving APS services also can get health and veterinary care for their pets thanks to the Banfield Foundation Veterinary Assistance Grant. APS caseworkers use grant funds to buy items such as pet food, veterinary care and services, grooming, flea and tick treatments, heart worm medication, and short term shelter until the pet can reunited with the owner.
In some cases, pets may be the only companion in a client’s life. APS caseworkers can improve a client’s wellbeing by securing pet care services on their behalf. Having a pet benefits older adults by decreasing loneliness, providing companionship, stimulating some degree of exercise, and most importantly, maintaining a daily routine. APS caseworkers secured pet care services for 61 pets using grant funds from the Banfield Foundation in fiscal year 2019.
Public Awareness Campaign
It's Everyone's Business is an APS outreach campaign that provides resources and information year round, but focuses on May and October to promote ways to protect adults from abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. The major goals of the campaign are to:
- Raise awareness about the problems of adult abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.
- Increase awareness of APS programs and services.
- Enlist community support for clients, staff, and resources.
In October, the campaign focuses on financial exploitation by working with organizations that provide services to vulnerable adults, and supplies them with information on financial exploitation. See EveryonesBusiness.org for more information on how to become involved.