Texas Adult Protective Services (APS) data shows that Bexar County ranked second in Texas for reports of exploitation of older adults in 2024, accounting for approximately 1,300 of the 13,500 reports made statewide. Over the past decade, allegations of elder abuse reported to APS in Bexar County have increased by 41 percent.
In response to this alarming growth, Bexar County Probate Court No. 2 Judge Veronica Vasquez and Texas State Senator José Menéndez identified the need for a coordinated local response and jointly formed the Bexar County Elder Abuse and Exploitation Taskforce. The taskforce brings together a coalition of community partners dedicated to combating elder abuse and exploitation across the county.
As part of this effort, Judge Vasquez, in coordination with former San Antonio City Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda, submitted a Council Consideration Request urging the San Antonio City Council to adopt citywide training for frontline staff on recognizing and reporting elder abuse, neglect, fraud, and exploitation. At the direction of City Council, the City of San Antonio’s Department of Human Services (DHS), in coordination with Adult Protective Services, developed and implemented this training program.
This collaborative community response was formally recognized when the City of San Antonio’s Department of Human Services, Judge Vasquez, Senator Menéndez, and former Councilwoman Cabello Havrda received the “Partnering to Protect” Award at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services’ 42nd Annual Adult Protective Services Conference. San Antonio was recognized as the only city in Texas leading a specialized initiative of this kind.
The Elder Abuse Training Program, titled “Don’t Look Away,” was developed in partnership with Adult Protective Services and implemented as a mandatory training for ten public-facing City departments that most frequently interact with older adults. To date, more than 6,900 City of San Antonio employees have completed the training.
As a result of the efforts of Judge Vasquez and the Bexar County Preventive Health Department, the push to protect the elderly will continue to expand with a $186,000 grant awarded to Bexar County in November 2025 to support the creation of a Senior Justice Assessment Center. This center will focus not only on preventing and addressing elder abuse, but also on prosecuting individuals who target older adults for abuse and exploitation. Modeled after a similar center in Harris County, it will be the second Senior Justice Assessment Center in the state of Texas.
During a presentation to the Bexar County Judge and Commissioners on December 16, 2025, Judge Vasquez, Senator Menéndez, and City and County staff explained that the grant will fund two full-time caseworkers. These caseworkers will review elder abuse cases referred by partnering agencies, including the City of San Antonio’s Police, Health, and Human Services Departments, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, Adult Protective Services, and other local organizations.
This coordinated approach will prioritize prosecution, immediate protection, and the delivery of essential services to victims.
For more information on elder fraud prevention, visit bexar.org/1447/Elder-Fraud.
What innovative elder justice activities are happening in your community? Share with us by emailing ncea-info@acl.hhs.gov.
