APD Southern Region and DCF Adult Protective Services Collaboration

By Kirk Ryon

Hosted by Sherab Chodron of APD and Cristina Leon of APS on May 23, APD’s Southern Region conducted the first of two innovative workgroup meetings in historical Opa Locka, Florida, with the Department of Children and Families Adult Protective Services. This meeting was conceived and implemented with the goal of improving relationships between the two state agencies and APD provider agencies. The meeting focused on educating APD providers on the policies and procedures of Adult Protective Services as they related to Protective Services Investigations, the causes and results of investigations, and how various findings effected APD providers.

Both the APD providers and Protective Services staff were given an opportunity to ask questions and to provide clarification on the many topics that were brought forth during the meeting. The well-attended meetings and lively discussions led to a greater understanding between APD, APS, and the APD provider agencies and will lead to greater cooperation between agencies in the future.

A second meeting, equally successful, was held on June 6, in southern Dade County. Moving forward, APD and APS will continue to hold these two “southern” and “northern” Miami-Dade workgroups on an annual basis. 

From left to right: Deputy ROM Sherab Chodron, Operation Program Administrator Cristina Leon, Operation Program Administrator Salvador Sotomayor.