Mandatory Elder Abuse Reporting for Attorneys in Oregon

Elder abuse is a serious growing issue in our society as our population ages. Effective January 1, 2015, attorneys in Oregon became mandatory elder abuse reporters, and the Oregon State Bar requires attorneys to complete regular training in elder abuse reporting as part of their continuing education requirements.

Presenter Ashley L. Vaughn is an attorney with the Dumas Law Group, LLC in Portland, Oregon, and specializes in representing victims of child sexual abuse in civil litigation against the perpetrators and institutions that enabled the abuse. She guides you through these new mandatory reporting requirements, including what it actually means to be a “mandatory reporter;” what type of conduct qualifies as elder abuse, the similarities and differences between your obligations as a mandatory reporter of child abuse versus elder abuse, and ethical pitfalls to avoid.

Learning Objectives:

I.    Grasp what it means to be a “mandatory reporter” of elder abuse and why attorneys are now being made mandatory reporters of elder abuse in Oregon 

II.   Identify who qualifies as a mandatory reporter in Oregon 

III.  Understand when and how an attorney mandatory reporter makes a report 

IV.  Recognize, after a report is made, how that report is handled 

V.   Grasp what the repercussions are for: 

• failing to make a report when it was required 
• an erroneous report of elder abuse