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Kern County proclaims June 2025 as Elder Abuse Awareness Month; county to host conference on financial exploitation
Summary
The Kern County Board of Supervisors unanimously (3-0, two absent) approved a proclamation declaring June 2025 Elder Abuse Awareness Month. County Aging and Adult Services detailed a June 12 conference focused on elder financial abuse and listed participating agencies and presenters.
The Kern County Board of Supervisors on June 3 proclaimed June 2025 as Elder Abuse Awareness Month in Kern County and heard details about a county conference aimed at elder financial exploitation.
The proclamation, presented by Supervisor Flores, passed on a board vote recorded as three ayes, two supervisors absent. Jeremy Oliver, director of Aging and Adult Services, and Colleen Fili, program director for Adult Protective Services, described county efforts and a June 12 conference titled “Elder Money Matters” that will focus on elder financial abuse.
Why it matters: County staff said Kern County’s population of older adults is growing and that community partners must be prepared to identify and report abuse. Oliver called elder abuse “an issue of justice, dignity, and restoring one's rights to live free from abuse or neglect,” and asked residents to report suspected incidents to Adult Protective Services or the long-term care ombudsman when appropriate.
Conference and presenters: Colleen Fili outlined the June 12 conference at the Women’s Club in Bakersfield, organized by Aging and Adult Services in collaboration with the Kern County District Attorney’s Office, the Kern County Commission on Aging, and Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services. Listed presenters include District Attorney Cynthia Zimmerman; keynote Paul Greenwood; Jessica Casillas; Darlene Bautista with Office of Payee Reviews and Beneficiary Assistance (APRABA); Devorah Martinez, long-term care ombudsman; and Brent Navarro and Corey Hastings with the Department of Justice’s Division of Medical Fraud and Elder Abuse. Fili said the conference aims to increase reporting and reduce stigma: “Only 1 in 44 financial abuse cases are reported,” she said.
County partnerships and operations: Oliver listed county partners that participate in elder-abuse prevention and response, including the District Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Public Health, Veterans Affairs, Department of Human Services, libraries, probation, and fire departments. Supervisor Perez signed the proclamation on behalf of the board.
Board action: The board entered the proclamation into the minutes and approved it by roll call (three ayes, two absent). The transcript recorded the presentation and the formal vote; no additional board motion text or mover/second was specified on the record.
Looking ahead: County staff encouraged attendance at the June 12 conference and emphasized education and interagency coordination as primary tools for prevention and increased reporting.
