Richard Blumenthal

Maybe you could comment on the fear of retaliation as a reason for non-reporting and other reasons that there is under- or nonreporting.

What percentage are seniors that are involved in putting together programs and legislation? I think the question really is how involved are seniors?

Is it a requirement that social workers who work in the protective services program have any educational training in geriatrics?

What is going to happen to new programs in this environment? Are they going to have a chance?

So I'm wondering whether more emphasis on culpability and prosecution would be worthwhile.

I'm going to paraphrase rather than quote--the emphasis on service rather than what you call culpability, which I interpret to mean law enforcement or prosecution, would it be helpful do you think for there to be more emphasis on the law…

Would it be helpful to redefine or recharacterize Federal programs so as to be eligible for that funding?

I'm interested in your comment that Connecticut has no adult protective services, and therefore receives no money from the Federal Government for APS.

Towns respond differently, and law enforcement agencies in those towns respond differently.

Thank you very much.

Again, I want to thank both of you for being here today.

Was the uptick around the holiday time in--you mentioned thefts and robberies. Was it primarily home intrusions, or were they financial exploitation of other kinds?

Financial exploitation hasn't been addressed in the same way physical and emotional abuse, and I think as time goes on we'll see more and more reporting of the issue.

And do you have an explanation as to why financial exploitation seems to be underreported based on your experience and your study?

Do you think that institutions of the kind for which you work are doing enough?

What do you think about mandatory reporting requirements?

One of the questions that really, I think, follows from that comment... what role do you think financial institutions can and should play in the detection of these kinds of problems?

I will be very blunt, which is that a lot of people would not want what they might see as the embarrassment...

As much as I am in favor of reducing unnecessary and wasteful government spending, and we have to reduce the deficit, we have to reign in the debt, I think we need to do it in smart ways that are also cost-effective in preventing…

I hope this message reaches the super-committee that's been established by the Congress to propose solutions to the debt and the deficit.

My hope is that this Congress will also reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.

I think that the penalty needs to reflect the seriousness of the crime.

So I think that the more we can impact the awareness and the kind of attention that's given to this problem, as you're doing today, as you've done for a long time, is very, very important.

I think that, again, the Adam Walsh Act, where we have enhanced at the Federal level the penalties for crimes committed against children, provides a useful model for how we can avoid some of the constitutional problems but still provide…

It's really very cost effective to reauthorize the Older Americans Act and take stronger action to prevent this kind of abuse.