TN Protect

To help emergency personnel screen vulnerable adults in dangerous situations.

Law enforcement and Adult Protective Services (APS) staff frequently encounter situations where someone appears to have been abused, neglected, or exploited. Emergency service personnel increasingly encounter situations that involve people with diminished capacity. When someone is deemed to be unsafe, whether removed from an unlicensed home, wandering, or other dangerous situation, options available to place them temporarily to ensure their safety are limited.

This app attempts to provide contact information and resources for emergency service personnel to help respond to older and vulnerable adults appropriately. The app focuses on appropriate resources and screening to help by helping to identify state and local agencies, screening tools, and contact information or appropriate reporting and assistive agencies. This app is intended for use by law enforcement, APS, and other health care professionals.

App Features:

Available to General Public and Health Care Professionals:

- Contact Information for various agencies

- Information on laws related to abuse, neglect, and exploitation

- Screening questions & algorithm for determining abuse, neglect, and exploitation

- Report Elder Abuse

Available to Law Enforcement and other Professionals that respond to abuse, neglect, or exploitation, via an Activation Code:

- Screening questions & algorithm for Cognitive Functioning

- Screening questions & algorithm for determining financial capacity

- County Specific Resources and Contacts

Increased recognition and reporting of ANE to the appropriate investigative/regulatory agencies.

Better identification of individuals in need of immediate safe interventions due to wandering behaviors.

Heightened awareness of ways to avoid scams against vulnerable adults