42 U.S.C. § 1397l — Establishment and support of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation forensic centers

(a) Generally The Secretary, in consultation with the Attorney General, must make grants to eligible entities to establish and operate stationary and mobile forensic centers, to develop forensic expertise regarding, and provide services relating to, elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. (b) Stationary forensic centers The Secretary must make 4 of the grants described in subsection (a) to institutions of higher education with demonstrated expertise in forensics or commitment to preventing or treating elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation, to establish and operate stationary forensic centers. (c) Mobile centers The Secretary must make 6 of the grants described in subsection (a) to appropriate entities to establish and operate mobile forensic centers. (d) Authorized activities (1) Development of forensic markers and methodologies An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section must use funds made available through the grant to assist in determining whether abuse, neglect, or exploitation occurred and whether a crime was committed and to conduct research to describe and disseminate information on— (A) forensic markers that indicate a case in which elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation may have occurred; and (B) methodologies for determining, in such a case, when and how health care, emergency service, social and protective services, and legal service providers should intervene and when the providers should report the case to law enforcement authorities. (2) Development of forensic expertise An eligible entity that receives a grant under this section must use funds made available through the grant to develop forensic expertise regarding elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation in order to provide medical and forensic evaluation, therapeutic intervention, victim support and advocacy, case review, and case tracking. (3) Collection of evidence The Secretary, in coordination with the Attorney General, must use data made available by grant recipients under this section to develop the capacity of geriatric health care professionals and law enforcement to collect forensic evidence, including collecting forensic evidence relating to a potential determination of elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation. (e) Application To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity must submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (f) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section— (1) for fiscal year 2011, $4,000,000; (2) for fiscal year 2012, $6,000,000; and (3) for each of fiscal years 2013 and 2014, $8,000,000.