About VEPT

We launched our program in April 2017 to improve the care emergency departments provide to vulnerable older adults. In a testament to how needed this program was, we actually received our first consult three days before we officially launched the program. Since then, we've cared for and helped ensure the safety of hundreds of potential victims of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. We've collaborated with NewYork-Presbyterian Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and New York City Adult Protective Services (APS) to offer emergency medical assessment to APS clients, which has transformed APS's elder mistreatment response.

Because of the success of the program and the generosity of our funders, we're expanding to serve patients throughout the hospital, follow patients longitudinally, and even use telehealth as part of our response. VEPT has been featured in the news, and we've published research about elder abuse and our program. We're working with other hospitals and communities interested in developing similar multidisciplinary elder abuse response teams.

Our Team

We are a multi-disciplinary team of emergency medical providers, social workers, geriatricians, and program evaluation experts.

Our Emergency Providers

Tony Rosen, MD MPH

Michael Stern, MD

Mary Mulcare, MD

Jennine McAuley, PA

Jaclyn Itzkowitz, PA

Our Social Workers

Alyssa Elman, LCSW

Elaine Gottesman, LCSW

Our Inpatient Specialist

Amy Shaw, MD

Our Program Coordinator

Daniel Baek, MPH

Our Program Evaluation Expert

Sunday Clark, ScD MPH

Our Advisers

Rahul Sharma, MD MBA

Mark Lachs, MD MPH

Risa Breckman, LCSW

Veronica LoFaso, MD MS