Capacity evaluations for adult protective services: videoconference or in-person interviews

The Geriatrician clinicians of the Texas Elder Abuse and Mistreatment Institute - Forensic Assessment Center Network (TEAM-FACN) in Houston, have many years of experience providing capacity assessment services for Adult Protective Services (APS) and Texas courts. A process has developed which is efficient, consistent, and evidence-informed. In the last two years, telecommunication has been added to this process to conduct assessments of APS clients in areas of Texas remote from the Houston area. Of the 545 capacity assessments TEAM-FACN has completed across the state of Texas over the first two years of adding telecommunication, 211 (39%) were conducted with in-person interviews and 334 (61%) were conducted using videoconference interviews. APS and the courts in remote areas of Texas have embraced the use of the videoconference assisted capacity assessments. This article describes this evidence-informed process and how telecommunication technology is incorporated to expand the reach of the service.