Have you (or someone you know) received a phone call from your grandchild saying they’ve been arrested and need your help? What about someone calling claiming to be from the IRS and there was a problem with your taxes? These are a just two examples of fraud discussed at the Department of Justice (DOJ) Rural and Tribal Elder Justice Summit, the first meeting of this type hosted by the DOJ Elder Justice Initiative.
Through a developing partnership with the DOJ, NOSORH was able to introduce National Rural Health Day (NRHD), the Power of Rural movement, the work of NOSORH and State Offices of Rural Health to the participants of this two-day event. The Summit was held in Des Moines, Iowa, on November 14-15 and featured speakers Matthew Whitaker, Acting Attorney General; Pamela Teaster, Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology Director and Professor; and Marit Anne Peterson, Minnesota Elder Justice Center Program Director. The topics covered were as varied as the speakers and were delivered by panels of experts. Topics included Federal Efforts to Support Rural and Tribal Communities, Challenges and Opportunities in Rural and Tribal Communities, and Harnessing the Power of Technology to Respond to Elder Abuse in Rural and Tribal Communities.
Tammy Norville, NOSORH Technical Assistance Director, shared information regarding NRHD and the Power of Rural movement, providing a great segue to information about SORHs after discovering that most participants were not familiar with State Offices. Following her remarks, Norville made several connections with participants, including Lance Robertson, Assistant Secretary for Aging and Administrator of the Administration for Community Living. Robertson introduced Norville to his team to begin discussions regarding the Aging in Rural Interest Group.
Overall, the first Rural and Tribal Elder Justice Summit was successful and moved the developing partnership between NOSORH and the DOJ Elder Justice Initiative Team forward.
Contact Tammy Norville (tammyn@nosorh.org) for additional information.