Today, ACL has released new nationally collected data on the exploitation and abuse of older adults and adults with disabilities.
This report is the second annual release based on 2017 data from the National Adult Maltreatment Reporting System (NAMRS), which is a voluntary data reporting system collecting data from state and local Adult Protective Services systems.
Fifty-five of 56 states and territories contributed data to NAMRS in its second year, including many that reported new or additional data elements. This high level of voluntary participation reflects the value that leaders in the field of adult maltreatment see in collecting this data.
NAMRS data will inform prevention and intervention practices at all levels of the adult maltreatment field. It will provide a better understanding of the characteristics of those experiencing, and perpetrating, abuse and identify system gaps for responding to maltreatment and preventing repeat maltreatment. The data quality and reliability will increase with each year as participation and data elements increase.
Data collected by NAMRS includes APS staff and caseload, response and response time, intake and investigation practices, maltreatment type, victim characteristics, and perpetrator characteristics. For example, 47 states and territories reported conducting investigations for more than 729,000 clients.
Many in the adult maltreatment field, including the federal Elder Justice Coordinating Council, have recognized the need for national data on adult maltreatment. After the passage and funding of the Elder Justice Act, ACL awarded the first-ever federal grants to enhance Adult Protective Services. These grants were used by many states to build data systems and align them with NAMRS. See the announcement about the latest grant awards.