This committee, one of the first in Ontario, it was originally formed in 1996 as the Abuse of Vulnerable Adults Prevention Committee of Simcoe County.
In 1997 the Long-Term Care Committee of the Simcoe County District Health Council identified the need for a community response protocol to address abuse issues. The Abuse Protocol Steering Committee created a document outlining an intervention model in Simcoe County. Shortly after this committee determined it should focus on seniors and The Simcoe County Elder Abuse Committee was formed.
In March 2002, Ontario launched the first Elder Abuse Strategy in partnership with Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat, Ministry of Attorney General, and the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (ONPEA) currently named Elder Abuse Prevention ON (EAPON). An EAPON Consultant provides support and regional representation to the Committee. The committee was renamed The Prevention of Senior Abuse Network-Simcoe County (PSAN-SC) in 2007.
The Prevention of Senior Abuse Network – Simcoe County represents diverse sectors and communities in Simcoe County. This is a volunteer Network that presently has 42 members, representing 24 agencies and organizations (Health Care, Legal, Police, Mental Health, Retirement Home, Accessibility-hearing & visual impairment) as well as 6 retired seniors representing private community supports. Meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month.
There is an Executive Committee made up of 5 members on a two year term who provide direction to PSAN-SC. No financial support is received regularly and there is no staff attached to PSAN-SC.
