Federal Grant Funds New Elder Justice Initiative in Guilford County

Guidance Carolina has been awarded a federal grant by the U.S. Administration for Community Living to launch RISE for Change, Reimagining Elder Justice Care Management, a 36 month project designed to reduce elder abuse and strengthen long term supports for older residents of Guilford County. The initiative will expand the agency's existing Elder Justice Care Management program by adding three full time Elder Justice Care Managers who together will serve more than 640 high risk older adults during the grant period.

The program will implement the RISE APS model to bridge short term Adult Protective Services intervention with ongoing person centered care management. Staff will be embedded at the Guilford County Family Justice Center to improve coordination among APS, law enforcement, legal aid, health care providers and community partners. Project leaders say the work will seek measurable improvements in client safety, housing stability, access to health care, and financial well being, and that outcomes and lessons will be shared through public reports and presentations to support wider adoption.

For local residents this represents a substantial investment in elder justice capacity, targeting gaps where older adults often fall through the cracks after initial APS involvement. By colocating care managers at the Family Justice Center, the program aims to reduce fragmentation in services and make it easier for older adults and their families to navigate help for crisis response, legal needs and ongoing supports. The release notes that the county contact for the Family Justice Center is available for follow up information.

Public health implications extend beyond individual cases. Better coordination and long term support can reduce preventable hospital visits, limit the harms of financial exploitation, and stabilize housing for vulnerable older adults. From a population perspective, improved detection and management of abuse and neglect contributes to healthier aging, reduces strain on emergency services, and can lower costs tied to repeated crisis interventions.

The project also carries policy significance. Guilford County will serve as a demonstration site for a nationally recognized model, providing data and practice lessons for policymakers and service systems considering how to fund and scale integrated elder justice services. The grant based nature of the work highlights broader questions about sustainability, data sharing, workforce capacity and the resources needed to address systemic inequities that make some older adults more vulnerable to abuse and neglect.

As the initiative begins, community engagement and oversight will be central to ensuring the services reach those most in need. If successful, RISE for Change could offer a local blueprint for more equitable, coordinated care for older adults and a model for other counties seeking to close gaps in elder justice systems.