The department shall establish, design and manage a program to provide services for persons 60 years of age and older who have been, or are alleged to be, victims of abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or self-neglect.
The objectives of this program shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1) the promotion of a wide range of endeavors for the purpose of preventing elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, and self-neglect in both domestic and institutional settings, including, but not limited to, promotion of public and professional education to increase awareness of elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation and self-neglect, to increase reports and to improve response by various legal, financial, social and health systems;
(2) the coordination of efforts with other city agencies, councils, and like entities, to include but not limited to, the Chicago Police Department, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, the Illinois State Police, the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board, the Illinois State Triad, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, the Family Violence Prevention Authority and other entities which may impact awareness of, and response to, elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, and self-neglect;
(3) the collection and analysis of data;
(4) the promotion of prevention activities;
(5) establishing and coordinating a training program on the unique nature of elder abuse cases with other city agencies, councils, and like entities, including, but not limited to, the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Fire Department and other entities that may impact awareness of, and response to, elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation and self-neglect;
(6) the solicitation of financial institutions, especially city municipal depositories, for the purpose of making information available to the general public, warning of financial exploitation of the elderly and related financial fraud or abuse, including such information and warnings available through signage or other written materials provided by the department on the premises of such financial institutions, provided that the manner of displaying or distributing such information is subject to the sole discretion of each financial institution;
(7) the coordination of efforts with utility and electric companies to send notices in utility bills to explain to persons 60 years of age or older their rights regarding telemarketing and home repair fraud; and
(8) providing cooperation with law enforcement agencies. The department and all city agencies or departments shall work with any law enforcement agency conducting any criminal investigation arising from allegations of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of an eligible adult. The department, all city agencies and departments, and law enforcement agencies shall cooperate to allow the criminal investigation to proceed concurrently with, and not be hindered by, any investigations conducted by provider agencies. Upon request of the law enforcement agency, the department and all city agencies and departments shall provide, to any law enforcement agency conducting any criminal investigation arising from allegations of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of an eligible adult, all relevant information and records from provider agency investigations.
(Added Coun. J. 11-19-08, p. 47220, Art. VI, § 1)