---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 1397l"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "1397l"
heading: "Establishment and support of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation forensic centers"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/1397l"
units:
  - "Chapter 7 — Social Security"
  - "Subchapter XX — Block Grants and Programs for Social Services and Elder Justice"
  - "Division B — Elder Justice"
  - "Part I — National Coordination of Elder Justice Activities and Research"
  - "Subpart b — elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation forensic centers"
---

# §1397l. Establishment and support of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation forensic centers

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6), in consultation with the Attorney General, shall make [grants](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=10) to [eligible entities](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=7) to establish and operate stationary and mobile forensic centers, to develop forensic expertise regarding, and provide services relating to, [elder](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=5) [abuse](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=1), [neglect](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=16), and [exploitation](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=8).
- (b) **Stationary forensic centers—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) shall make 4 of the [grants](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=10) described in [subsection (a)](#a) to institutions of higher education with demonstrated expertise in forensics or commitment to preventing or treating [elder](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=5) [abuse](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=1), [neglect](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=16), or [exploitation](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=8), to establish and operate stationary forensic centers.
- (c) **Mobile centers—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) shall make 6 of the [grants](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=10) described in [subsection (a)](#a) to appropriate entities to establish and operate mobile forensic centers.
- (d) **Authorized activities—**
  - (1) **Development of forensic markers and methodologies—** An [eligible entity](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=7) that receives a [grant](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=10) under this section shall use funds made available through the [grant](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=10) to assist in determining whether [abuse](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=1), [neglect](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=16), or [exploitation](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=8) occurred and whether a crime was committed and to conduct research to describe and disseminate information on—
    - (A) forensic markers that indicate a case in which [elder](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=5) [abuse](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=1), [neglect](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=16), or [exploitation](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=8) may have occurred; and
    - (B) methodologies for determining, in such a case, when and how health care, emergency service, [social](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=20) and protective services, and legal service providers should intervene and when the providers should report the case to [law enforcement](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=13) authorities.
  - (2) **Development of forensic expertise—** An [eligible entity](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=7) that receives a [grant](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=10) under this section shall use funds made available through the [grant](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=10) to develop forensic expertise regarding [elder](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=5) [abuse](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=1), [neglect](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=16), and [exploitation](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=8) in order to provide medical and forensic evaluation, therapeutic [intervention](/usc/42/1397n–12.md?p=2), victim support and advocacy, case review, and case tracking.
  - (3) **Collection of evidence—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6), in coordination with the Attorney General, shall use data made available by [grant](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=10) recipients under this section to develop the capacity of geriatric health care professionals and [law enforcement](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=13) to collect forensic evidence, [including](/usc/42/1301.md?p=b) collecting forensic evidence relating to a potential determination of [elder](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=5) [abuse](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=1), [neglect](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=16), or [exploitation](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=8).
- (e) **Application—** To be eligible to receive a [grant](/usc/42/1397j.md?p=10) under this section, an entity shall submit an application to the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the [Secretary](/usc/42/1301.md?p=a-6) may require.
- (f) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section—
  - (1) for [fiscal year](/usc/42/619.md?p=3) 2011, $4,000,000;
  - (2) for [fiscal year](/usc/42/619.md?p=3) 2012, $6,000,000; and
  - (3) for each of [fiscal years](/usc/42/619.md?p=3) 2013 and 2014, $8,000,000.

## Source credit

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XX, § 2031, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title VI, § 6703(a)(1)(C), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 790.)