The Pennsylvania Department of Aging is taking steps towards greater transparency and accountability in monitoring county protective services agencies that serve at-risk older adults. The Department will begin disclosing information about overall compliance with state regulations next month, as well as specifics about the 20-day requirement for completing investigations.
A recent investigation by Spotlight PA found that up to a third of county agencies failed to comply with state regulations, leaving older Pennsylvanians vulnerable to abuse and neglect. The Department of Aging has never taken punitive action against agencies that repeatedly fail to comply.
However, Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich, appointed by Gov. Josh Shapiro in 2023, stated that the state will be taking a harder stance towards agencies that do not correct chronic problems. Moving forward, the Department aims to add specific language to contracts penalizing agencies for deficiencies in providing protective services. Agencies will be given a chance to correct the problem with support from the Department, but if there is no improvement, serious action such as de-designation may be taken.
Despite concerns raised by Spotlight PA, Kavulich believes that the system for protecting older adults in Pennsylvania is not in crisis but acknowledges that there is always room for improvement. The Department of Aging will also be implementing a new monitoring system, the Comprehensive Aging Performance Evaluation (CAPE), to assess county compliance more objectively. Critics, including former protective services specialists, have raised concerns that the new system may make it easier for counties to pass compliance assessments.
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