Federal Laws. A few federal laws relate specifically to elder abuse and neglect, but none of these laws provides broad regulatory mechanisms for state or local programs established specifically to support services for victims of elder abuse.
Until the recent passage of the Elder Justice Act of 2009, federal law authorized little funding to states and local agencies for identification, prevention or remediation of elder abuse (see Elder Justice Act of 2009, below).
Federal criminal law aimed to address elder abuse is limited, although legislation is pending that would significantly increase federal resources to respond to crimes against the elderly (see Elder Abuse Victims Act, below).
Some examples of federal laws applicable to elder abuse are summarized here.