Elder Abuse Discussion and Presentation For Elder Abuse Provider Agencies

McHenry County College will host “Elder Abuse: Developing a Coordinated Multi-Disciplinary Community Approach,” a family violence symposium, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 in the MCC Conference Center, located at 8900 U.S. Hwy. 14 in Crystal Lake. This one-day event is presented by the 22nd Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council, Senior Service Associates, Inc. and McHenry County College.

Keynote speaker will be Paul Greenwood, one of the nation’s top experts on elder abuse and chair of the California’s DA Elder Abuse Committee. He currently serves as the San Diego Deputy District Attorney, a post he has held since 1993. Greenwood has been involved in the prosecution of more than 200 felony cases—both physical and financial—of elder and dependent adult abuse.

Also presenting from the Illinois Department of Aging, are Lee Beneze, Legal Services Developer and Holly Zielke, Northern Region Coordinator. Beneze works on a variety of senior issues, most specifically elder abuse, financial exploitation, and long term care residents’ rights. Zielke has provided oversight and technical assistance to the 26 elder abuse provider agencies in her service area. She has also served as the northern regional trainer for the Illinois Department on Aging’s Initial Elder Abuse Investigator Training Certification and Recertification Training and is the statewide trainer for the Elder Abuse Supervisor Certification Training.

The symposium is intended for those who respond to the needs of elder abuse victims and their families, including judges, counselors, prosecuting attorneys, victim advocates, health care providers, social workers, clergy, law enforcement, probation officers, paramedics and EMT’s, governmental officials, and bankers.

The symposium is made possible by Willow Springs Foundation, McHenry County Chiefs of Police Association, Centegra Health System and Advocate Health Care.

The seminar is free of charge. Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credits and Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDUs) are available for $10, payable the day of the event. To register, call the Shah Center at (815) 455-8593 and reference symposium ID: NTL S99 001 or reference symposium with CEUs: USP U78 001.

For general information, contact Bev Thomas, local coordinator for 22nd Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council at (815) 479-7792 or email bthomas@mchenry.edu.