Thanks to the Department’s increased support, Westmoreland Area Agency on Aging’s compliance rate for on-time investigations increased more than tripled in just one year.
Greensburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) today followed through on a promise to boost transparency of its oversight of county Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), announcing the public can now see information that shows how quickly those agencies are conducting investigations of suspected elder abuse.
Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich made the announcement at the Westmoreland County Area Agency on Aging, further highlighting how the Department’s new, overhauled approach to AAA support and oversight has led directly to increased compliance rates across Pennsylvania for the time it takes a local agency to complete an investigation.
Thanks to the Department’s increased efforts with AAAs, Westmoreland County AAA more than tripled its compliance rate for timely determinations in older adult protective services – from 29% in 2024 to 97% in 2025. That means older adults in Westmoreland County are receiving the assistance and care they need faster and more efficiently than before.
“I commend the Westmoreland AAA leadership and the entire protective services team for their hard work and dedication to improving their performance,” said Secretary Kavulich. “With our Department’s assistance, Westmoreland AAA is showing how the Shapiro Administration’s approach of making supportive change is generating measurable results. While working steadily on a much-needed major overhaul of the Department’s performance monitoring system, we have also worked closely with AAAs to make sure they have the tools they need to improve. It is evident that our work is leading to real-world results that benefit and protect older Pennsylvanians.”
Across Pennsylvania, AAAs investigate nearly 40,000 cases of suspected abuse each year. Reports of suspected abuse can be made to a AAA, or to the statewide elder abuse helpline at 1-800-490-8505. The Helpline is answered live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and all calls are confidential. Part of the AAA’s duty in responding to a report is to determine whether the abuse or neglect is, in fact, taking place.
PDA checks each month how quickly AAAs complete their investigations, measuring how many cases are finished within 20 days, as the time it takes for a AAA to complete its investigations is a key performance metric.
Westmoreland County AAA’s 20-day determination performance, along with all of Pennsylvania’s 52 AAAs, are now posted on the Department’s website for the first time and can be viewed here on the Department of Aging’s website.
“I’m very proud of our protective services team’s achievement,” said Westmoreland County AAA executive director Carrie Nelson. “Protective services is some of the most complex and challenging work we do. We come into it with our hearts, to protect older adults in our community from harm. We look forward to continuing to work with the Department to identify areas where improvements are needed and strive for excellence.”
The publication of the 20-day turnaround measurement is yet another step the Department has taken in recent weeks to increase transparency of how well the AAAs are performing their duties for the older adults they serve. Another key performance metric, first published in 2024, is Face To Face Visits – which measures whether the protective services staff met with the older adult and conducted an initial assessment of the situation within required timeframes. Performance continues to improve since Secretary Kavulich took office in early 2023, with 49 out of 52 AAAs now at 85% or greater compliance.
Just last month, PDA announced the rollout of the agency’s new Comprehensive Agency Performance Evaluation, or CAPE – an innovative tool designed to boost transparency and accountability of Pennsylvania’s AAA network that provides a host of services to older adults. Later this month, the Department will begin publicly posting performance results on its website for the first batch of AAAs to be monitored under CAPE, with more AAA performance results regularly added.
“This new level of transparency is part of the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to ‘Getting Stuff Done’ for the people of Pennsylvania,” said Secretary Kavulich. “It is also a prime example of the Administration’s commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of Pennsylvania’s rapidly growing older adult population. For years, stakeholders and the media have called for greater transparency of this Department. Finally, under our Administration, this Department is getting the attention and resources it needs to modernize and perform at the level our older adults deserve.”