TEAM Institute

Background

The concept for forming the Texas Elder Abuse and Mistreatment Team (TEAM) had its beginnings in 1995 when Baylor College of Medicine Geriatrics Program at the Harris County Hospital District (BCM-HCHD), led by Dr. Carmel Dyer, and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (TDPS) Adult Protective Services (APS) Region VI noted an increase in the number of reported abused and neglected elders in Harris County, TX. Leaders from both groups met and determined that strengthening and expanding the existing clinical relationship was a major priority.

In 1997 this relationship was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding between APS and BCM-HCHD, becoming the first APS-medical group collaboration in the United States. TEAM is co-directed by Dr. Carmel Dyer, who in 2006 was recruited to begin a new geriatrics and palliative care division at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston (UTH), and Mr. James Booker, the Region VI APS Director.

The current composition of TEAM includes the UTH Medical School, APS, the HCHD and BCM who work collaboratively to end the suffering of abused and neglected elders.