§38-9D-4. Powers and duties.

The council shall have the following duties and authority:

(1) Define the roles and responsibilities of all participating agencies.

(2) Adopt rules for the internal operation of the council.

(3) Recommend to the Commissioner of the Department of Senior Services appointment of additional members to serve on the council as deemed necessary and appropriate.

(4) Develop a long-range plan, reviewed semi-annually, for addressing the needs of those at risk for elder abuse, which, to the extent practical, is derived from scientific based research and nationally recognized best practices. The council shall provide a copy of the plan and a detailed summary of any progress toward implementation of the plan to the Governor and the Legislature on or before the 10th legislative day of each regular session. The plan should include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

a. The elimination of barriers to identifying and reporting elder abuse such as duplicative or fragmented policies which may require modification.

b. The development of a coordinated program of services for victims of elder abuse to include the identification, intervention, prevention, and prosecution of the crime of elder abuse.

c. A comprehensive fiscal review and analysis with recommendations for state spending on programs and services for elder abuse prevention.

d. The identification of annual action steps toward implementation.

(5) Ensure interagency collaboration, public participation, and mutual sharing of information to facilitate policy decisions and the implementation of a plan for addressing the needs of those at risk for elder abuse.

(Act 2012-495, p. 1448, §4.)