False Complaints and the Florida Dept of Children and Families

On this Editorial for ElderAbuseHelp.Org I will quote an article By news-press.com Originally posted on February 09, 2007

"Floridians worried that a child or older adult is being abused can now report it online.
To report suspected abuse or neglect, go to the Web site of The Florida Department of Children and Families, www.dcf.state.fl.us/abuse/report.

Last year, there were about 348,000 abuse claims reported across the state.
In Lee County, there were 5,400 hot line calls.

The Web and phone system can be used to report concerns of abuse or neglect unless a child, elder, or person with disabilities is in immediate danger. In that case, call 911.A fax number, 800-914-0004, and a TDD number, 800-453-5145, for the deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired are available to report abuse ".

We applaud any step in the right direction to make Elder Abuse reporting more accessible to complainants .

The DCF of Florida needs to have the ability to quickly differentiate between the perpetrators and the victims as time is of the essense with these cases. This is not always easy as Elder Abusers are shrewd and "the testator, misled by fraud, will often do so with pleasure and satisfaction.." - Dr. Irwin Perry M.D. J.D.

"An example of fraud is the situation where one influences a testator that another relative has stirred up trouble." - Irwin Perry M.D. J.D.

Florida Statutes 415.102 states :

(9) "False report" means a report of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult to the central abuse hot line which is not true and is maliciously made for the purpose of:

(a) Harassing, embarrassing, or harming another person;
(b) Personal financial gain for the reporting person;
(c) Acquiring custody of a vulnerable adult; or
(d) Personal benefit for the reporting person in any other private dispute involving a vulnerable adult.

The Division of Children and Families , and the Department of Elder affairs needs to have the resolve to have the provisions of Chapter 415.102 enforced and to develop a zero tolerance on Elder Abuse, this with the ability to move quickly to sort out the perpetrator from the victims will go a long ways in protecting our elders in the future.

Please email the DCF of Florida and express your own opinions and suggestions.
Their Communication contact list- The DCF Office of Communications contact list

By Ray Fernandez