Title
Grant Application - Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice (NIJ) FY25 Research and Evaluation on the Financial Exploitation of Older Adults
Action
ACTION:
1) Approve the submission of an application for up to $1,600,000 for a five-year research and evaluation project focused on the financial exploitation of older adults within Mecklenburg County.
2) Recognize, receive, and appropriate funds (if awarded) for the amount awarded to the General Grant Fund (G001) within Child, Family, & Adult Services for the duration of the five-year performance period; and
3) Adopt the required grant project ordinance for the NIJ FY25 Research and Evaluation on the Financial Exploitation of Older Adults grant in the General Grant Fund (G001).
Staff Contact: Letecia Loadholt, Interim Director, Child, Family and Adult Services
Presentation: No
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
Financial exploitation (FE) is a burgeoning public health crisis, with annual losses estimated in billions of dollars, affecting up to 11% of older adults annually. Beyond economic impact, FE is linked to severe psychosocial decline, including increased anxiety, depression, and social isolation.
The current framework is reactive and operates at its limit. Fewer than 2% of reports originate from victims, indicating that waiting for a report is an ineffective strategy. To safeguard the health and wealth of Mecklenburg County’s seniors, we must transition from reactive reporting to a community-based, proactive screening model.
This project shifts the paradigm toward proactive resilience by bridging the gap between financial security and mental health. The proposal evaluates an integrated model that combines wellness screenings with targeted exploitation prevention. By leveraging community partnerships, including senior centers, YMCA programs, faith communities, The Umbrella Center, and UNC Charlotte, this research seeks to determine if addressing "upstream" wellness factors like social connectedness can significantly reduce "downstream" exploitation risk.
This initiative will work in tandem with an ongoing grant-funded project that provides a forensic accountant to assist older adults in Mecklenburg County who have experienced financial exploitation. UNC Charlotte will lead the research component, evaluating and disseminating the findings.
The grant application total is up to $1,600,000 for a five-year term beginning January 1, 2027. No local match is required.
• Grant Period: January 1, 2027 - December 31, 2031
• Submission Deadline: May 26, 2026
PROCUREMENT BACKGROUND:
N/A
POLICY IMPACT:
To ensure this research translates into systemic change, the project will measure and report on the following:
• APS Workflow Optimization: Validating a "warm handoff" protocol from community partners to The Umbrella Center will demonstrate how community screenings can prioritize high-risk cases for Adult Protective Services (APS), reducing time spent on cold investigations.
• Community Screening Standard: This project will develop a "Toolbox for Prevention" for adoption by senior centers statewide, transforming them into frontline defense perimeters.
• State Policy Influence: Data regarding the correlation between social isolation and financial loss will be presented to the NCIOM Healthy Aging Task Force to advocate for state-level funding of prevention-based APS mandates, shifting legislative focus from investigation to early intervention.
FISCAL IMPACT:
General Grant Fund (G001) increase of up to $1,600,000 in revenue and associated expenses without a local match requirement.