WILKES-BARRE — Pennsylvania Department of Aging (PDA) Secretary Jason Kavulich today joined local leaders to open the first-of-its-kind center in the Commonwealth specifically designed to serve older adults who are victims of abuse or neglect in Lackawanna and surrounding counties.
Telespond Senior Services is home to the regionally accessible Older Adult Advocacy Center — the first in Pennsylvania to offer a person-centered approach to abuse investigations, care and treatment plans, and education for older adults while providing emergency respite and short-term transitional living space.
“The Older Adult Advocacy Center is designed to serve older adults in the safest, least restrictive way,” said Secretary Kavulich. “No one should ever be a victim of abuse, especially our aging population. The center is a welcoming place for older adults who need a trusting space for supports and services and to feel safe and comfortable. As former director of the Lackawanna Area Agency on Aging, I’m proud to have played a role in this project and thankful to all of the community partners and leaders who have helped to make it a reality. This facility will change thousands of lives and will serve as a state and national model.”
In March, PDA announced the roll-out of its new Comprehensive Agency Performance Evaluation, or CAPE — an innovative tool designed to boost transparency and accountability of Pennsylvania’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA) network that provides a host of supports for older adults, including protective services. PDA is posting performance results for AAAs monitored under CAPE on its website.
The Older Adult Advocacy Center’s coordinated service approach will include:
• Emergency housing: Immediate 24/7 short term transitional living for older adults in crisis, including abuse victims, with a four-room, five-bed placement in partnership with the Lackawanna County AAA protective services unit.
• Support for older adults experiencing abuse: Specialized services like legal advocacy, emotional support, and safety planning delivered through collaborations with partners such as the Elder Justice Multi-disciplinary Team, Scranton Counseling Center, and The Wright Center for Community Health.
• Advocacy: Empowering older adults by giving them a voice in house and legal decisions. Collaboration with organizations such as Lackawanna Pro Bono to ensure support and guidance.
• Resource navigation: Assistance with healthcare, financial aid, and social services to help older adults regain stability.
“This space represents more than bricks and mortar. It represents hope, dignity and community. Because of the vision and support of so many, the Older Adult Advocacy Center is not just a safe space, it’s a stepping stone for an older adult on their pathway to elder justice,” said Helen Schmid, president and CEO, Telespond Senior Services.
If anyone suspects an older adult is the victim of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, they should call the Department of Aging’s Protective Services Helpline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 800-490-8505. All calls are confidential.
Meuser supports bill to protect police officers, improve mental health
During National Police Week, U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser. R-Dallas, voted in favor of H.R. 2240 — the bipartisan Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act.
The legislation strengthens protections for law enforcement by improving how attacks against them are tracked and expands access to mental health resources for those who serve our communities.
This bill directs the Department of Justice to improve reporting on violent and ambush-style attacks against police officers, create a new category for aggressive actions that don’t meet the threshold for criminal charges, and review the availability and effectiveness of mental health programs for officers.
Specifically, the report will identify gaps in current reporting and make recommendations for new tools to help law enforcement agencies respond more effectively to growing threats.
In 2024, 342 officers were shot in the line of duty, resulting in 50 fatalities. Already this year, 109 officers have been shot in the line of duty — including 21 in ambush-style attacks, and 12 officers have been killed. But many more incidents go unreported or are not fully documented.
Rep. Meuser said this bill will ensure law enforcement has a clearer, more accurate picture of the threats officers face every day.
“As the son of a former police officer, I understand the risks our law enforcement officers face — both in the line of duty and from the cumulative stress that comes with the job,” Rep. Meuser said. “This bill gives us the data we need to confront rising violence against officers, close dangerous gaps in reporting, and ensure mental health resources are there for those who need them.”
H.R. 2240 passed the House on Thursday, 403-11, with bipartisan support. It now awaits further consideration in the U.S. Senate.
Fetterman, Moore, Sorensen lead letter on hiring freeze exemptions
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, D-Braddock, U.S. Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, and U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, D-Illinois, this week led a bipartisan letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth encouraging the Department of Defense (DoD) to exempt all depots, shipyards, arsenals, and maintenance facilities from any department-wide civilian hiring freezes, pauses, restrictions, or limitations.
While the DoD has had an exemption in place for these facilities since March 18, 2025, the legislators said there are still several restrictions that amount to a hiring freeze for critical pieces of the defense industrial base.
“Military depots ensure our service members have access to the weapons systems and platforms they need to keep our nation safe,” said Sen. Fetterman. “They are the backbone of our military readiness, and making sure they are properly staffed is critical for our national security. Preventing depots from hiring the staff they need to aid our troops and respond to global threats isn’t efficient.”