'United As One' Conference Focuses on Financial Exploitation

OKLAHOMA CAPITOL --- In fiscal year 2004, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services Adult Protective Services Division investigated more than 16,800 cases of adult abuse and neglect. Of these cases, more than 2,200 involved possible financial exploitation.
On June 3, OKDHS Adult Protective Services staff from Osage, Washington, Creek and Tulsa counties will join police officers, sheriff’s deputies, district attorneys and judges to address the complex and growing problem of financial exploitation of the elderly.

During the “United As One” Conference, to be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Double Tree Hotel, located at 616 W. Seventh Street, Tulsa, Adult Protective Services, law enforcement and court officials will come together to build a dialogue and share resources and best practices on dealing with financial exploitation of the elderly.

Conference participants will hear from OKDHS Assistant General Counsel John Fears and keynote speakers Paul Greenwood and Rick Brinkley. Greenwood, a nationally recognized authority on adult abuse, serves as a Deputy District Attorney and heads the Elder Abuse Unit at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.

Brinkley is a former Emmy-nominated television producer and is a national conference leader and lecturer. He is the author of several books and serves on the board of the Miss Oklahoma Pageant. Brinkley is currently the CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Oklahoma.

This is the second year for the “United As One” Conference to be held in Tulsa. Similar conferences are being held across Oklahoma in an effort to coordinate strategies and strengthen the resolve of law enforcement, adult protective services and the courts that deal with the complexities and tragedy of elderly financial exploitation on a daily basis.

For information about the “United As One” Conference, contact Kathy King at (918) 592-0811. To report suspected abuse, contact the Adult Abuse Hotline at 1-800-522-3511, or, click on www.OKDHS.org/APS.

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