Circles of Safety: Reflections on Eight Years of Evidence-Based Prevention Training

Eight years ago, before fraud, scams, and elder abuse were widely recognized as the national crisis as it is today, the Juanita C. Grant Foundation saw troubling signs emerging in our communities. We listened to the stories. We watched the numbers rise. We witnessed the emotional, financial, and psychological toll that exploitation was taking on older adults, individuals with disabilities, and their families.

What concerned us most was not simply that these crimes were increasing, it was that the community's role in prevention was largely absent from the conversation.

We saw a void.

We recognized that responding to fraud and elder abuse would require more than occasional awareness campaigns or news headlines. It would require a thoughtful, evidence-based, and community-centered approach that brought information, resources, and trusted professionals directly to the people most affected.

On a fiercely rainy and cold March 7, 2018, with Prince George's County State's Attorney Angela Alsobrooks as our opening speaker, we launched eight years of ongoing fraud, scam, and elder abuse prevention trainings.

What began as a response to a growing concern evolved into a powerful community initiative built on partnerships, research, and the voices of those we serve.

Over the years, our evaluation data and ongoing research helped shape and strengthen our approach. We assembled rotating panels of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies that provided up-to-the-minute information on emerging scams, local cases, and criminal trends. We expanded our network of guest speakers to include banking professionals, Adult Protective Services representatives, elder law attorneys and victim advocates.

Yet one lesson became abundantly clear: facts and statistics alone do not change behavior.

Stories do.

The most impactful moments in our trainings happen when a speaker or a participant shares their experience. Their story may describe losing a lifetime of savings to a sophisticated scam. Another may speak about watching a friend become increasingly isolated and controlled by a caregiver. I have shared my stories of being a frequent target of computer scams. Sometimes the stories are difficult to hear. Often, they are deeply personal.

During many workshops, I will sit beside participants as they tell their stories. What begins as one person's willingness to speak often gives another person permission to do the same. In those moments, something powerful happens. The training becomes more than information, it becomes connection, support, and healing.

The room transforms from a group of attendees into a community looking out for one another.

That sense of community is critical because fraud and abuse thrive in isolation. Remember that!

Scammers use pressure, fear, urgency, and secrecy to manipulate their targets. They encourage people to act before consulting a trusted friend or family member. Similarly, elder abuse can occur when an older adult or person with disabilities becomes dependent on someone who may misuse their position of trust. When there is an imbalance of power and limited outside oversight, opportunities for exploitation increase. Again, isolation is the key.

The antidote to both situations is connection.

People need trusted individuals who check in regularly. They need social networks that provide support, perspective, and encouragement. They need circles of safety that can interrupt the forward movement of a scam before financial or emotional damage occurs.

That is why our trainings focus not only on recognizing red flags and understanding prevention strategies, but also on strengthening social connections and empowering participants to become advocates within their own families and communities.

One of the greatest rewards of this work is hearing from repeat attendees. Time and again, participants tell us they shared our resource materials with family members, friends, neighbors, or fellow congregants. Many have reported that the information helped someone avoid becoming a victim or gave them the confidence to intervene when something did not seem right.

Those conversations matter.

Every resource shared. Every warning discussed. Every family conversation started. Every friend who checks on another friend. These actions create ripples that extend far beyond any single workshop.

Over the past eight years, our evaluation data has consistently reflected satisfaction rates between 95 and 98 percent. More importantly, participants repeatedly express a commitment to sharing what they have learned with others.

That is how prevention becomes community protection.

Our law enforcement and professional partners have also noted the value of bringing agencies together through these trainings. Increased collaboration and information sharing have led to greater awareness, improved reporting, and stronger opportunities to identify and prosecute bad actors.

The impact reaches far beyond the individual attendee.

When one person becomes informed, they influence their family. Families influence their social networks. Social networks influence neighborhoods, faith communities, organizations, and entire communities. Through this process, awareness grows, protective behaviors strengthen, and communities become more resilient.

As we reflect on eight years of service, we are grateful to every participant who trusted us with their stories, every partner who shared their expertise, and every advocate who carried this information back to their own circle of influence.

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