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Sonoma County Elder Protection Summit

ELDER PROTECTION SUMMIT HELD IN OAKMONT

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that his office and many other community based elder organizations hosted their 5th Elder Protection Summit yesterday. The Elder Protection Summits have been presented at various Sonoma County communities including Oakmont, Cloverdale, Sebastopol and Russian River. The next Elder Protection summit will be held on May 17, 2010, 9:00am to 11:00am at Paulin Creek, 2375 Range Ave, Santa Rosa, CA. 707.575.3722.

On April 8th, 2010, over 60 people attended an Elder Protection Summit in Sonoma to learn ways to prevent becoming a victim of elder abuse. Vintage House hosted the Summit in partnership with District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua, Sonoma County Supervisor Valerie Brown, Adult Protective Services, Sonoma Police Department, Sonoma County Law Enforcement Chiefs’ Association, CAHSAH, Commission on Human Rights, Council on Aging, Elder Financial Protection network and Senior Advocacy Services. The purpose of the Summit was to raise public awareness about elder protection issues so that our senior population learns the tools necessary to avoid being victimized. The “Senior” population in Sonoma County consists of over 90,000 residents age 60 and over and represents approximately 18 percent of the population.

Judy Rice from the Commission on Human Rights stated “We are thrilled to partner with the many organizations to help host this event, which is so important to seniors in our community. District Attorney Passalacqua and Supervisor Brown have continued to demonstrate the needed leadership to make this event a reality.”

Supervisor Valerie Brown, in whose District the Summit was held, said: “Providing a forum for our senior residents to learn and explore ways of avoiding fraud and abuse was powerful. The event was well-attended and I hope everyone left better prepared to help ourselves, our friends and our families.”

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua stated: “Our seniors are vulnerable and it is critical that in their twilight years, we put forth the effort to afford them the protection and prevention they so rightfully have earned and deserve. During these difficult economic times, elder abuse has become more prevalent, and the Summit addressed those issues needed for their protection. Prevention & community involvement are a formidable strategy to reduce the financial, physical, and emotional abuse of the elderly.”

Other speakers and panel participants included representatives from each of the partnering groups including Sonoma Police Chief Bret Sackett, Robin Hammond from the District Attorney’s Office.

The next Elder Protection summit will be held on May 17, 2010, 9:00am to 11:00am at Paulin Creek, 2375 Range Ave, Santa Rosa, CA. 707.575.3722.

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Sonoma County Agency on Aging Hearing

A PUBLIC HEARING on the 2010-2011 update to the 2009-2012 Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging Area Plan will be held Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. at the Adult and Aging Division office, 3725 Westwind Blvd., Suite 101, Santa Rosa.

Area Plan goals and objectives, as well as adequate proportion and program development and coordination funding, will be addressed. The public is invited, and older adults are especially encouraged to attend and provide comment.

For more information, contact Joanne De Alejandro at the Adult & Aging Division, Sonoma County Human Services Department at 565-5950.

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Sensus 2010 Questions & Answers

Census Day - April 1, 2010 - has come and gone and for some of us, the day to day hustle and bustle has left us wondering, "Where did I put that Census form, anyway?" Rather than search for it, you are hereby invited to drop by the nearest "Be Counted" site where you can retrieve a new form, complete it and mail it back. Be Counted sites will be open until April 19 and are an easy way to participate in this once-per-decade opportunity to make sure your community gets its share of funds and that you and your neighbors are properly represented both at the state and federal levels. Check the list below or visit www.census2010.gov and follow the links to "Find your Be Counted and Questionnaire Assistance Center". (lower right screen).

Also - there are many of us who, when we open our census form, find that we have questions about how best to complete it. In that case, please consult the list of Questionnaire Assistance Centers to find the one nearest you, check its hours of operation and then bring your form in for a quick consult with a sworn census worker. (I mention that these people are "sworn" to emphasize that they have taken a life long oath to safe guard your privacy.)

Or - if you're in a more festive mood (or would like to score a Census 2010 travel mug or other keepsake of your participation), watch for your local March to the Mailbox event. In Cloverdale, for instance, on Saturday April 10, you can get a form, get help with your form and walk away with a cup or a lapel pin for your efforts from noon until 4:00 pm at the Cloverdale Rancheria Offices (555 S. Cloverdale Blvd). Bonuses at this location: Free homebaked cookies for as long as they last and Free e-waste recycling (provided by the EPA program run by the Cloverdale Rancheria)!

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AVOID CENSUS FRAUD and SCAMS

HOW TO AVOID CENSUS FRAUD and SCAMS

The 2010 Census forms have arrived in mailboxes throughout Northern California. It should take approximately 10 minutes for each household to complete its form. Each 2010 Census packet includes a postage-paid envelope addressed to one of three U.S. Census Bureau’s Data Capture Centers located in Jeffersonville, Indiana, Phoenix, Arizona or Baltimore, Maryland.

Census forms are delivered directly to each household, either by the U.S. Postal Service or U.S. Census Bureau’s employees. About 90% of households in the United States received the census forms in the mail, the remaining 10% rural households had their forms hand-delivered. Each census form contains a unique barcode and the 20-digit identification number for each household. The information embedded in the barcode and the 20-digit identification number allow the Census Bureau to precisely allocate the count to the cities and counties where these households are located.

Opportunists and scammers may want to take advantage of this once-a-decade national effort. To ensure that the count is safe and confidential, the following information will help residents avoid census fraud and scams:

· The unique barcode and the 20-digit ID number are on the back of each 2010 Census form.

· None of the questions on the 2010 Census form asks for Social Security number, driver’s license number, bank account or PIN number, immigration or citizenship status.

· The Census Bureau NEVER asks for donations or money.

· The Census Bureau NEVER requests for information via e-mail.

· The Census Bureau does not conduct surveys or censuses on behalf of political parties or organizations.

If you are unsure that the 2010 Census form you received is authentic, please visit a Questionnaire Assistance Center (QAC) near you for help or call the Seattle Regional Census Center at 425-908-3000. QAC locations can be found on the Internet at www.2010census.gov.

Toll-free telephone assistance hotlines are available 7 days a week, from 8 am to 9 pm, in English and 5 other languages: English (1-866-872-6868), Spanish (1-866-928-2010), Chinese (1-866-935-2010), Vietnamese (1-866-945-2010), Korean (1-866-955-2010) and Russian (1-866-965-2010). Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons can call the TDD number: 1-866-783-2010.

Beginning in May, census workers will be visiting households that fail to mail back the 2010 Census form to collect information. To help residents avoid fraud and scams, here are ways how census workers can be identified:

· The 2010 Census workers will present residents a notice titled “Your Answers Are Confidential,” which explains the U.S. Code, Title 13, which guarantees the safeguarding and confidentiality of information collected by the Census Bureau.

· Questions asked by 2010 Census workers will be the same questions on the 2010 Census form.

· The 2010 Census workers will NEVER ask to come into your home.

· The 2010 Census workers will NEVER ask for money or donations, Social Security number, driver’s license number, bank account or PIN number, immigration or citizenship status.

· The 2010 Census workers wear a white ID badge with blue and red lettering.

· The 2010 Census workers may carry a black and white canvas bag that bears the Census Bureau’s name and logo.

In the event residents want to verify that the census takers at their doors are legitimate employees of the US Census Bureau, they are encouraged to call the Seattle Regional Census Center at 1-877-471-5432. Residents also can ask census workers to provide them with a Local Census Office’s telephone number, which they can call to verify employment status. If residents feel threatened, they should call local law enforcement or 911.

Mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the census takes place every 10 years. Census Day is April 1, 2010. Census data determine boundaries for state and local legislative and congressional districts. More than $400 billion in federal funds are distributed annually based on census data to pay for local programs and services, such as schools, highways, vocational training, emergency services, hospitals, unemployment benefits and much more. Learn more about the 2010 Census at www.2010.census.gov.

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