Agenda 02/10/2026 Iterm #16D 3 (Revised Memorandum of Understanding with Aging for Southwest Florida and the Florida Department of Children and Families)2/10/2026
Item # 16.D.3
ID# 2026-180
Executive Summary
Recommendation to approve and authorize the Chair to sign the revised Memorandum of Understanding with the Area
Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida, Inc., and the Florida Department of Children and Families for Adult Protective
Services referrals.
OBJECTIVE: To ensure the timely delivery of services to victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, while furthering
the County's strategic plan Quality of Place objective by providing access to health, wellness, and human services.
CONSIDERATIONS: The Community and Human Services Division’s Services for Seniors Program (CCSS) has been
providing support to Collier County’s elderly clients for over thirty (30) years through various grant programs. The
County serves as the Lead Agency and is responsible for responding to the needs of senior clients.
As a requirement of the Area Agency on Aging of Southwest Florida Inc. (AAASWFL) and noted in the Adult
Protective Services (APS) Manual, Collier County is required to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
with AAASWFL and the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) to ensure timely delivery of services to
victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation. The objective of the MOU is:
(a) To maintain a climate of cooperation among agencies in order to achieve equitable delivery of services to vulnerable
elder Floridians who are victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
(b) To promote services and activities designed to protect vulnerable elders and prevent premature institutionalization,
pursuant to Chapters 415 and 430, Florida Statutes.
(c) To participate, together by means of shared information, in tracking delivery of services to elder Floridians who are
victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation in need of home and community-based services.
(d) To provide technical assistance to, and consultation with, each other on matters pertaining to actual service delivery
and to share appropriate assessment information.
On March 11, 2025 (Item #16.D.6), the Board of County Commissioners (“Board”) approved an MOU between
AAASWFL, DCF, and Collier County.
On January 5, 2026, AAASWF notified Collier County that the Department of Elder Affairs requires the current MOU
language to be updated. The revised MOU includes the following additional language:
• Identify responsible parties for updating the Florida Department of Elder Affairs Enterprise Client Information
and Registration Tracking System (eCIRTS), and Florida's APS Referral Tracking Tool (ARTT) system, used
by DCF to manage referrals for at-risk adults (60+) needing community-based care due to abuse, neglect, or
exploitation, ensuring they connect with local aging network agencies for services.
• Outline required timeframes for when a high-risk referral is sent.
The attached MOU has been signed by DCF and AAASWFL and is attached for approval.
By furthering the County's strategic plan Quality of Place objective by providing access to health, wellness, and human
services.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding from the AAASWFL is available in Human Services Grant Fund (1837). There is no fiscal
impact associated with this action.
GROWTH MANAGEMENT IMPACT: There is no Growth Management impact associated with this item.
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2/10/2026
Item # 16.D.3
ID# 2026-180
LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS: This item is approved as to form and legality and requires a majority vote of the Board
for approval. – CLD
RECOMMENDATION(S): To approve and authorize the Chair to sign the revised Memorandum of Understanding
with the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida, Inc., and the Florida Department of Children and Families for
Adult Protective Services referrals.
PREPARED BY: David R. Schwartz, Grants Coordinator, Community and Human Services Division.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. MOU
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AREA AGENCY ON AGING FOR SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER
and
THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN ANO FAMILIES
and
COMMUNITY CARE FOR THE ELOERLY LEAD AGENCY
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR
ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES REFERRALS
AreoAoencv."asini,
This Memorandum of Understanding, made the 1d day of October 2025 , shall be in effect
indefinitely, and reviewed at minimum every five years, among Area Aqencv on Aqino for
Southwest Florida/Aging and Disability Resource Center for Planning and Service Area 8; Collier
Countv Services for Seniors, the Community Care for the Elderly Lead Agency, and the
Deoartment of Children and Families' (DCF) Adult Protective Services (APS) for referrals made
in Collier Countv.
The Department of Children and Families and the Department of Elder Affairs may, consistent
with their requirements under 415.'106(2) and 430.205(5) F.S., amend this memorandum at any
time in the best interest of the program.
The purpose of this agreement is to ensure the timely delivery of services to the victims of abuse,
neglect and/or exploitation in need of services. Under this Memorandum of Understanding, Area
Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida/Aging and Disability Resource Center, Community Care
for the Elderly Lead Agency, and the Department of Children and Families agree to their
respective responsibilities as outlined in the Adult Protective Services Referrals Operations
Manual attached to this agreement and as penodically updated.
Objectives
To maintain a climate of cooperation among agencies to achieve equitable delivery of
services to vulnerable elder Floridians who are victims of abuse, neglect, and/or
exploitation.
To promote services and activities designed to protect vulnerable elders and prevent
premature institutionalization, pursuant to Chapters 415 and 430, F.S.
To participate, together by means of shared information, in tracking delivery of services to
elder Floridians who are victims of abuse, neglect and/or exploitation in need of home and
community-based services.
To provide technical assistance to, and consultation with, each other on matters pertaining
to actual service delivery and to share appropriate assessment information.
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Service Delivery Guidelines and Tracking Referrals in the APS Tracking Tool (ARTT) &
eCIRTS
For a referral designated by APS as a "high-risk referral," the referral will be staffed by APS and
the Lead Agency to determine the specific services needed. Such services may be time-limited
and designed to resolve the emergency or crisis situation that could place the person at risk of
further harm. For referrals received during business hours, the Lead Agency must initiate the
emergency or a crisis-resolving service(s) within 72 hours of receipt of the referral from APS.
Case management alone does not meet this requirement. For high+isk referrals thal are currently
receiving services funded by DOEA, the 72-hour time frame includes not only exlsflng services,
but also any additional emergency or crisis-resolving services.
Upon receipt of the referral, the Lead Agency must communicate to the consumer that services
put in place may be limited to 31 days. The provision of services(s) may exceed 31 days if:
. The emergency or crisis still exists, and continuation of the services is needed for
resolution; or
. The crisis is likely to return without the provision of services.
For high+isk APS referrals, an in-person 7018 and crisis-resolving service must be completed
within 72 hours 1 ) of receipt of the APS Referral Tracking Tool (ARTT) referral packet, if received
dunng business hours or 2) of receiving the call from APS staff, if received afer business hours
(including evenings, weekends, and holidays). Fot intermediate and low-risk APS referrals, a
70 1 S, 70'lA, or 701 B assessment must be completed within 14 calendar days 1 ) of receipt of the
ARTT referral packet, if received durlng business hours or 2) of receiving the call from APS staff,
if received a,ler business hours (including evenings, weekends, and holidays). For APS referrals
sent after business hours, APS staff must call the designated Community Care for the Elderly
Lead Agency staff (for high-risk referrals) or Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida/Aging
and Disability Resource Center (for intermediate and low-risk referrals) to provide the information
specified in the APS Referrals Operations Manual.
Before services are terminated after 31 days, the client will be seen face-to-face by a Lead Agency
case manager. lf it is determined that services can be safely terminated, APS will be contacted
(using contact information in the ARTT). APS staff will participate in a discussion with the client
regardless of the status of the case. CCE co-payments for services will be waived for high-risk
referrals during the first 31 days of service or until the vulnerable adult's crisis has been resolved
as determined by the Lead Agency and APS staff. lf both parties agree that crisis-resolving
services can safely be terminated, the client may be placed on a waitlist for additional services if
appropriate. The case manager will complete and enter the new 701 B Form in eclRTS.
lf both parties do ,ot agree that services can safely be terminated, the lead agency case manager
will assess the client's needs, and the assessment will be entered in eClRTS. An APS investigator
supervisor and a case manager supervisor at the Lead Agency will Jointly review the case to
resolve the issue(s), identified at staffing.
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DCF APS staff uses the ARTT as follows to refer elders age 60 and older in need of home and
community-based services:
1. DCF APS staff enters information about each APS referral into the ARTT
2. The ARTT automatically sends emails to the designated people in the aging network,
notirying them that a new referral has been made.
3. The aging network then acknowledges in the ARTT that the referral was received and
documents the action taken, which will automatically send emails to the appropriate DCF
staff.
4. Both DCF and aging network staff can review referral information in the ARTT for
individuals in their specified geographic region at any time.
Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida/Aging and Disability Resource Center defines below
which agency(ies) will be the intake entity(ies) for DCF's Adult Protective Services refenals in
each county in their Planning and Service Area.
All high-risk APS referrals from Collier will be sent to the following agency:
tr Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida/Aging and Disability Resource Center
X Collier County Services for Seniors/Community Care for the Elderly Lead Agency
All intermediate risk APS referrals wall be sent to the following agency:
X Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida/Aging and Disability Resource Center
E Community Care for the Elderly Lead Agency
All low risk APS referrals will be sent to the following agency:
tr Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida/Aging and Disability Resource Center
n Community Care for the Elderly Lead Agency
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Area Agency on Aging for Southwest
Florida/Aging and Disability Resource
Center:
Signature
President and CEO
Tifle
10.07.25
Date
Collier County Services for
Seniors/Community Care for the Elderly
Lead Agency:
Signature
Title
Date
Department of Children and Families
Signatr
Assistant Secretary
Tifle
12t30t25
Date
cAO
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