Laserfiche WebLink
�E STATE of 0 <br />Q�ok M" 20' 1 77 s 0 <br />W <br />Fr n <br />A <br />s <br />� <br />�5fafr Of larfh q tra[intt <br />PAT McCRORY <br />GOVERNOR <br />VULNERABLE AND ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH <br />2015 <br />BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA <br />A PROCLAMATION <br />WHEREAS, North Carolina joins the world in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day every June 15 <br />and <br />WHEREAS, national and international research reveals that abuse, neglect and exploitation of vulnerable and <br />older adults are grossly underreported; and <br />WHEREAS, North Carolina's vulnerable and older adults of all social, economic, racial and ethnic backgrounds <br />may be targets of abuse, neglect or exploitation, which can occur in families, long -term care settings and communities; and <br />WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina enacted the nation's first elder abuse law in 1973, aimed at protecting <br />older adults and vulnerable adults age 18 to 59 with disabilities, and increasingly recognizes the need for a comprehensive <br />system of protection for vulnerable and older adults; and <br />WHEREAS, protecting North Carolina's vulnerable and older adults is a community responsibility and all <br />citizens are charged under State law to report suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation to their local county department of <br />social services; and <br />WHEREAS, in fiscal year 2013, over 21,000 reports of abuse, neglect or exploitation of vulnerable and older <br />adults were made to North Carolina's 100 county departments of social services; and <br />WHEREAS, the Division of Aging and Adult Services partners with county departments of social services to <br />offer a statewide Adult Protective Services Program with area agencies on aging to increase awareness about elder abuse <br />through its Long -Term Care Ombudsman Program, and with the State Attorney General's Office and others to assist <br />victims of telemarketing scams and other forms of consumer fraud; and <br />WHEREAS, today, 59 of North Carolina's 100 counties are projected to have more people age 60 and over than <br />age 17 and younger, and one in five North Carolinians are age 60 and older; and <br />WHEREAS, Mother's and Father's Days are national holidays intended to honor, respect, and promote the <br />dignity and well -being of our parents; <br />NOW, THEREFORE, 1, PAT McCRORY, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim May 8 <br />June 22, 2015, as "VULNERABLE AND ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH" in North Carolina, and commend <br />its observance to all citizens. <br />IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina <br />