State, Advocates At Odds Over Abuse Response

When someone suspects that an elderly or disabled person is being abused, the claim is supposed to be investigated quickly by the state. But a backlog and slowdown of investigations has been troublesome for more than a year, and that prompted a lawsuit this winter by Vermont Legal Aid, Disability Rights Vermont and other advocates.

 

We talk with Legal Aid attorney Barbara Prine about the reasons advocates give for resorting to the courts to remedy the situation with Adult Protective Services. And we talk with Commissioner Susan Wehry, who oversees APS, about how the state is addressing the problem.

Also in the program, an update on the proposed merger of two electric utilities, Green Mountain Power and Central Vermont Public Service. Peter Hirschfeld of the Vermont Press Bureau reported this weekend that financial benefits of the deal will go largely to the corporations, rather than ratepayers, according to recent testimony filed in the case.

 

Adult Protective Services Fact Sheet, Jan 31, 2012