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2010 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 45
Encouraging the Department of Social Services to work together with public and private partners to conduct a comprehensive public awareness and education program on the identification, prevention, and reporting of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of adults and children who have a disability.
 
Agreed to by the Senate, February 16, 2010
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 9, 2010
 

WHEREAS, abuse, neglect, and exploitation of adults and children continues to be a serious problem, with the Department of Social Services receiving 15,625 reports of adult abuse in the state fiscal year ending on June 30, 2009, which resulted in 13,629 investigations and 8,076 findings of substantiated abuse, and accepting 34,768 reports of child abuse or neglect resulting in 22,761 family assessments and 10,104 investigations, and 8,661 findings of services need and 3,857 findings of abuse or neglect; and

WHEREAS, adults and children with disabilities are particularly at risk for abuse, neglect, or exploitation; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Social Services is the state agency charged with the supervision of the local departments of social services in receiving and investigating reports and complaints of abuse and neglect of children and abuse, neglect, or exploitation of adults, including children and adults with disabilities, and providing services to stop or prevent abuse, neglect, or exploitation; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Social Services currently works to increase public awareness of adult and child abuse, neglect, and exploitation and to encourage members of the public to report abuse, neglect, or exploitation when it occurs; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Department of Social Services be encouraged to identify and work together with public and private partners to conduct a comprehensive public awareness and education program on the identification, prevention, and reporting of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of adults and children who have a disability; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services, requesting that the Commissioner further disseminate copies of this resolution to their respective constituents so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly in this matter.