Senior Victim Advocate Program

The Office of the Attorney General has awarded the Area Agency on Aging a grant to serve elderly victims of crime residing in Pinellas and Pasco Counties. This program provides specialized services to victimized seniors when they are not receiving services from any other victim assistance program. Those helped by this program may be victims of domestic violence, elder abuse, burglary, assault and battery, victims of financial exploitation, fraud or economic crime.

Access to the services of this program is through the Senior Helpline. Crisis and supportive counseling, court room orientation, court escort services, transportation related to the case, assistance with completion of impact statements and restitution requests, assistance with victim compensation application, emergency legal advocacy, and assistance with services to provide for a safe environment are some of the available services provided by the Senior Victim Advocate Program.

The scope of the Senior Victim Advocate Program has been broadened by the valuable contributions of volunteers' time and experience and interns from area colleges and universities. These volunteers assist the program by being present at Senior Centers and community information fairs, have direct contact with victims who need additional advocacy, do home visits, do necessary clerical work related to each case, and most importantly advocate for the needs of our senior victims. They help the Senior Victim Advocate Program achieve its goal of helping senior victims regain the quality of life and sense of security and independence that they experienced prior to their victimization.

The Victim Advocates in both counties coordinate and cooperate extensively with law enforcement, the judicial system, the Adult Services Unit of the Department of Children and Families, Departments of Consumer Protection and other state regulatory bodies, domestic violence programs, senior service agencies and private sector programs in order to meet the needs of our senior victims of crime. Click here to go to a quick flyer on this program and the special Cell Phone Project.

To locate Victim's Advocate services in other areas of Florida go to the website for the Attorney Generals Office, www.myfloridalegal.com/directory, where you can search by Circuit. Pinellas and Pasco are the Sixth Circuit.

The Senior Victim Advocate Program coordinates the Senior Safety Phone Project. Cell phones that are no longer in use are donated to serve as emergency phones so that seniors can call 9-1-1. For a detailed description of the program click here.