BY MATT CECIL

SALEM—A work group soon may be established to study and make recommendations on the prevalence, prevention and treatment of elder abuse in the state.

House Bill 2325, which passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate, outlines the creation of the Oregon Elder Abuse Work Group.

While the two versions of the bill have yet to be reconciled, their general intent is the same.

“There are many stakeholders that feel that we really need to start addressing the issues that happen with our seniors,” said Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson, D-Gresham, who sponsored the bill in the senate. “Elder abuse is something that we really need to take care of.”

The work group would seek to define “elder abuse,” evaluate the criminal background check system as it pertains to elder abuse, study the process of elder abuse investigations as well as elder abuse reporting systems, determine what information regarding elder abuse could be made available to the public, and report to the Legislative Assembly on its findings and recommendations.

“It’s [elder abuse] a bigger problem than people realize,” said Mary Jaeger, the state’s long-term care ombudsman. “It’s a silent problem, an uncomfortable issue.”

Jaeger said she is looking forward to the opportunity to speak out on the issue as a member of the work group.

If enacted, she would be one of the group’s 17 members, as outlined in the bill’s most recent language by the Senate committee on Health Care, Human Services and Rural Health Policy.

Its membership includes representatives from law enforcement agencies, advocate groups for the elderly, the Department of Human Services and the Governor’s Commission on Senior Services, as well as legislators.

All members of the work group operate on a volunteer basis, and none receive compensation or reimbursement for expenses.

Rep. Monnes Anderson doesn’t see this lack of payment as a problem, however.

“The work group is consisting solely of volunteers, but they’re dedicated,” she said. “I know we’ll get a good product.”

The bill also provides for state government agencies “to assist the work group in the performance of its duties and…furnish such information and advice as the members of the work group consider necessary to perform their duties.”

John Helm, chairman of the Governor’s Commission on Senior Services, who is required to appoint a member to the work group, said he isn’t worried about the extra responsibility.

“I don’t think it will strain our [GCSS] resources,” said Helm. “It’s something that’s well within our mission statement….It’s an area the commission has in the past and continues to deem important.”

Jaeger’s view mirrored Helm’s thoughts.

“The need to prioritize the prevention of abuse to disadvantaged individuals, specifically the elderly, is our [the office of the state ombudsman] highest priority – that’s what we’re about,” she said.

Rick Bennett, director of government relations for AARP Oregon, says the group also supports the bill and hopes to get a representative on the work group if it is established.

The bill reads that the group may also “accept donations of staff support, office space and equipment from advocacy groups or service provider organizations.” However, no sources for donations have been identified at this time, according to the fiscal impact statement for the bill.

Another provision of the proposed legislation requires the work group to assess the costs of implementing its recommendations.

“I don’t see that very often…a menu of services to choose from,” said Helm.

He added that government agencies such as the commission have always had trouble enforcing the findings of these groups due to financial limitations.

The commission has faced steep budget cuts in recent years, and he considers the cost assessment of the group’s recommendations an important step.

According to the fiscal impact statement, “[t]he full fiscal impact of this bill is indeterminate depending on available donated resources.”

The work group would cease to exist after Feb. 29, 2012.