GANE App 3.2.3

GANE App Review

Problem Statement: Law enforcement and Adult Protective Services (APS) personnel often find themselves in challenging situations involving potential abuse, neglect, or exploitation. Additionally, individuals with diminished cognitive capacity frequently appear lost or disoriented. When a person is assessed as unsafe—such as being removed from an unlicensed home or found wandering—the available options for temporary safe placements are often limited. There is a clear need for health care professionals to have immediate access to pertinent information, screening tools, and resources to address these urgent matters, especially during nighttime hours.

Background: The staff at DAS, including members from Adult Protective Services, Forensics, and Livable Communities, have partnered with the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association to tackle issues of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Their efforts have included training law enforcement in ACT, exploring alternative placements for vulnerable adults in unlicensed care facilities, conducting driving assessments for individuals with dementia, and evaluating the financial capacities of affected individuals. These collaborative efforts have underscored the potential utility of an Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation (ANE) App for law enforcement, APS staff, healthcare professionals, and the broader community.

App Features:

• General Public & Healthcare Professionals:
  • Comprehensive contact information for relevant agencies.
  • Information on legal frameworks pertaining to abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
• Law Enforcement & Responding Professionals (via Activation Code):
  • Algorithms and screening questions for assessing cognitive functioning.
  • Screening tools for identifying instances of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
  • Financial capacity assessment algorithms.
  • A list of emergency placement options by zip code and proximity (pending availability).
  • Alerts management via Mattie’s Call notifications.
  • Push notifications regarding recent scams targeting vulnerable adults.

Expected Outcomes:

• Enhanced recognition and reporting of cases related to abuse, neglect, and exploitation to relevant investigative and regulatory bodies.
• Provision of timely emergency placement options for vulnerable adults experiencing crises (pending implementation).
• Improved identification processes for individuals exhibiting behaviors indicative of wandering or disengagement.
• Increased awareness of preventive measures against scams aimed at vulnerable populations.