The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has announced that the Elder Financial Protection Network has received the FDIC Chairman’s Award for Innovation in Financial Education.

The FDIC Chairman’s Award recognizes excellence and innovation in financial education, and also highlights potentially replicable best practices. These non-monetary awards are the final component of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s 75th anniversary observance and meant to demonstrate the Corporation’s ongoing commitment to financial education and helping consumers use financial services effectively.

EFPN, one of six organizations recognized, was the only California nominee to be awarded this honor.

The award recipients were selected based upon results, program innovation and program content. Factors taken into consideration included use of creative or novel approaches, ability to capture a new or non-traditional audience and what measures they used to determine effectiveness.

EFPN, a not-for-profit organization headquartered in San Francisco, was created as a unique collaborative partnership consisting of financial institutions, social service providers, law enforcement agencies, professional and trade associations, non-profit organizations, and legal professionals to combat the financial abuse of elders and dependent adults in California. EFPN’s mission is to prevent the financial abuse of elders through innovative partnerships that build public awareness, drive community outreach, and provide professional training.

Programs include: direct community outreach and education for seniors and professionals; regional Call to Action conferences; print materials, video and online training programs and a dynamic new website with dual portals for consumers and professionals seeking information and resources. In 2010, EFPN will celebrate its 10-year anniversary as an organization.

– from Steven Peck, Senior Attorney at Peck Law Group

About the Author

Attorney Steven Peck has been practicing law since 1981. A former successful business owner, Mr. Peck initially focused his legal career on business law. Within the first three years, after some colleagues and friend’s parents endured nursing home neglect and elder abuse, he continued his education to begin practicing elder law and nursing home abuse law.