Elder Abuse Mandatory Reporter Training Materials Available

House Bill 49 signed by Governor Kasich in June 2017 expanded the list of mandated reporters for elder abuse in Ohio. This bill also required the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to develop training materials for all mandated reporters. ODJFS has met this mandate by developing a series of reference guides, geared towards the various individuals and professional disciplines listed in section 5101.63 of the Revised Code (ORC), effective September 29, 2018.

Each guide contains an overview of adult protective services (APS), specifically: statutory definitions pertaining to APS; indicators of elder maltreatment; guidance on how and where to report suspected elder abuse; and information on what happens after a report is made. In addition, each guide contains information specific to its audience. One publication is written for the mandated reporters working in the medical field; one written for legal and law enforcement professionals; and one is written for financial service providers. There is also a fourth guide written for all Ohioans that does not focus on any particular discipline or profession.

These guides are available free of charge in both electronic and hard copy format. Please select guides from the links below to download or order them through the JFS Forms Central website.

JFS 08095 – Understanding Elder Abuse: A Guide for Financial Services Professionals
JFS 08096 – Understanding Elder Abuse: A Guide for Legal and Law Enforcement Professionals
JFS 08097 – Understanding Elder Abuse: A Guide for Medical Professionals
JFS 08098 – Understanding Elder Abuse: A Guide for Ohioans

Questions may be directed to the ODJFS APS Program staff via the APS Mailbox .