Adult Protection Multidisciplinary Team Workshop: Apply Now! by Meredith Smith

If you’re working to protect vulnerable adults in your community, you know how important it is to have the right people at the table to provide effective and efficient solutions. That’s why we’re bringing together adult protection multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) from across North Carolina for a hands-on workshop at the School of Government on September 29–30, 2025, focused on forming and strengthening MDTs. Thanks to support from a Growing Practical Solutions for North Carolina (GPS NC) Grant funded by Civic Federal Credit Union and funding support from the North Carolina Judicial College, the workshop is free to attend and each team can bring up to six members. Applications are now open and will be accepted through July 15, 2025. Access additional workshop details What Is an MDT and Why Does It Matter? An MDT is a group of professionals in a geographic region who commit to working together toward a common goal.  An adult protection MDT works to find ways to prevent and respond to adult abuse, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, self-neglect and caretaker neglect, and exploitation, including financial exploitation. Adult protection MDTs have gained traction because adult abuse, neglect, and exploitation is a complex problem that is difficult to detect, prevent, and remedy. Adults may be ashamed of being a victim, lack mental capacity, or have an ongoing dependency on an abuser for care or financial support. Adult abuse, neglect, and exploitation may occur in a variety of settings, from private residences to adult care homes. The perpetrators range from family members to caregivers to strangers. There is no one field, system, or set of laws that controls the problem; a single profession or service system is rarely, alone, enough to address it. The problem tracks across disciplines and implicates areas such as physical health, mental health, financial matters, residential care, law, domestic violence, and social work. In state fiscal year 2023-2024, county departments of social services in North Carolina received 38,490 reports alleging the abuse, neglect, or exploitation of disabled adults. Adult protection MDTs are one way some communities are responding to these cases.  For professionals, working on an adult protection MDT can mean reduced isolation, more informed decision-making, and increased confidence when dealing with difficult cases. For victims, it often means better outcomes that may not have been possible without a team’s coordinated effort. Where We Stand in North Carolina Across North Carolina, adult protection MDTs are in various stages of development. Sixty-eight counties across the state have created MDTs. An additional 27 counties are currently working to form MDTs. Some counties have strong, long-standing teams with regular meetings and shared protocols. Others are just beginning to explore how an MDT could work in their area. The Adult Protection MDT Workshop is open to teams at any stage of formation and development. Resources to Support Your MDT If you are interested in learning more about MDTs or want to access information to help support your MDT, you can click on any of the links below, which will take you to the Adult Protection Network (APN) website and a host of free resources developed by the APN team with funding support from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

• The Adult Protection Network Website: This is a central hub for resources regarding adult protection in North Carolina, including a resource library, a Help Desk providing technical assistance to adult protection MDTs, a listserv for weekly updates, a directory of adult protection MDTs across North Carolina, and a calendar of upcoming events in the adult protection field. Resources on the site include tools and FAQs built around topics such as understanding the adult protection system, adult guardianship, financial exploitation, reporting abuse, criminal and civil legal remedies, state agencies involved in adult protection, and adult protection MDTs.

• The Adult Protection MDT Toolkit: The MDT Toolkit is a collection of sample documents that can be downloaded and adapted for use when creating, building, or maintaining an adult protection MDT, including planning worksheets, sample protocols, and templates.

• Online Modules and Webinars: The Adult Protection Network website features two new training series for those involved in protecting vulnerable adults.

• The Basics: Building Adult Protection Multidisciplinary Teams is an online training series with 13 short, interactive videos on introductory topics related to the creation, growth, and expansion of adult protection MDTs.

• Beyond the Basics: Strengthening Adult Protection Multidisciplinary Teams is a series of five interactive webinars that explore key tools engaged by adult protection MDTs and the roles of the professionals who serve on these teams. This includes webinars on guardianship, the role of the prosecutor, the role of adult protective services, the state mental health system, and confidentiality/information sharing.

Ready to Take the Next Step? We hope you’ll submit an application to attend the Adult Protection MDT Workshop at the UNC School of Government on September 29-30, 2025. Access the MDT Workshop application For questions about MDTs and the content and purpose of the workshop, contact Kristy Preston at the North Carolina Adult Protection Network MDT Help Desk. For questions about workshop registration or logistics, contact Karli Wilson.