Kansas Increases Staff to Investigate Suspected Elder Abuse

The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services has launched a new campaign to stop elder abuse.  SRS is also beefing-up efforts to identify cases of abuse among disabled adults.

Spokesman Jim Kallinger says SRS received 11,000 reports of elder abuse and neglect last year. He says the agency is now devoting more staff and resources to investigate those cases.

“In the past, it was kind of a step child. It was kind of folded into child protective services, and it was kind of an afterthought,” says Kallinger. “We’ve taken it up to the point now where we’ve elevated it, where we’re really focused on adults in our state.”

The new campaign includes additional training for law enforcement and healthcare workers to help them better identify abuse.

To report suspected abuse of an adult call the Protection Report Center at (800) 922-5330.

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