Okla. Stat. tit. 43A, § 43A-10-115

team to investigate and prosecute crimes.

A. In coordination with the District Attorneys Council, each

district attorney may develop a multidisciplinary team for the

investigation and prosecution of crimes committed against the

elderly or vulnerable adults in each county of the district attorney

or in a contiguous group of counties. The lead agency for the team

shall be chosen by the members of the team. The team shall

intervene in reports involving sexual abuse, abuse, neglect, or

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exploitation of an elderly person or vulnerable adult as defined in

Section 10-103 of this title.

B. The multidisciplinary elderly and vulnerable adult abuse

team members shall include, but not be limited to:

1. Mental health professionals licensed pursuant to the laws of

this state or licensed professional counselors;

2. Police officers or other law enforcement agents whose duties

include, or who have experience or training in, elderly and

vulnerable adult abuse and neglect investigation;

3. Medical personnel with experience in elderly and vulnerable

adult abuse and neglect identification;

4. Adult Protective Services and long-term care workers within

the Department of Human Services;

5. Office of Client Advocacy workers within the State

Department of Health;

6. Multidisciplinary elderly and vulnerable adult abuse team

coordinators; and

7. The district attorney or assistant district attorney.

C. 1. Subject to the availability of funds and resources, the

functions of the team shall include, but not be limited to:

a. whenever feasible, joint investigations by law

enforcement and Adult Protective Services, Office of

Client Advocacy, or long-term care staff to

effectively respond to reports of abuse against

elderly or vulnerable adult victims,

b. the development of a written protocol for

investigation of sexual abuse, abuse, neglect, or

exploitation cases of elderly or vulnerable adults and

for the interview of victims to ensure coordination

and cooperation between all agencies involved. Such

protocol shall include confidentiality statements and

interagency agreements signed by member agencies that

specify the cooperative effort of the member agencies

to the team,

c. communication and collaboration among the

professionals responsible for the reporting,

investigation, prosecution, and treatment of elderly

and vulnerable adult abuse and neglect cases,

d. elimination of duplicative efforts in the

investigation and the prosecution of abuse and neglect

cases committed against elderly or vulnerable adult

victims,

e. identification of gaps in service or untapped

resources within the community to improve the delivery

of services to the victim and family,

f. development of expertise through training. Each team

member and those conducting investigations and

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interviews of elderly or vulnerable adult abuse

victims shall be trained in the multidisciplinary team

approach, conduction of legally sound developmentally

and age-appropriate interviews, effective

investigation techniques and joint investigations as

provided through the State Department of Health, the

District Attorneys Council, the Department of Human

Services, or other resources. At least one team

member or those conducting investigations and

interviews of elder or vulnerable adult abuse victims

shall complete dementia-specific training on

Alzheimer's disease and related dementia that includes

one or more of the following:

(1) communication skills,

(2) problem-solving with challenging behaviors, or
neys Council, the Department of Human

Services, or other resources. At least one team

member or those conducting investigations and

interviews of elder or vulnerable adult abuse victims

shall complete dementia-specific training on

Alzheimer's disease and related dementia that includes

one or more of the following:

(1) communication skills,

(2) problem-solving with challenging behaviors, or

(3) explanation of Alzheimer's disease and other

dementia,

g. formalization of a case review process and provision

of data as requested, and

h. standardization of investigative procedures for the

handling of elderly and vulnerable adult abuse and

neglect cases.

2. Any investigation or interview related to sexual abuse,

abuse, or neglect of elderly or vulnerable adults shall be conducted

by appropriate personnel using the protocols and procedures

specified in this section.

3. If trained personnel are not available in a timely manner

and if a law enforcement officer or the Department of Human Services

determines that there is reasonable cause to believe a delay in

investigation or interview of a victim could place the victim's

health or welfare in danger of harm or threatened harm, the

investigation may proceed without full participation of all

personnel, but only for as long as the danger to the victim exists.

The Department of Human Services shall make a reasonable effort to

find and provide a trained investigator or interviewer.

D. A multidisciplinary elderly or vulnerable adult abuse team

shall have full access to any service or treatment plan and any

personal data known to the Department of Human Services that is

directly related to the implementation of the requirements of this

section.

E. Each member of the team shall protect the confidentiality of

the elderly or vulnerable adult and any information made available

to the team member. The multidisciplinary team and any information

received by the team shall be exempt from the Oklahoma Open Meeting

Act and the Oklahoma Open Records Act.

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