Programs, usually offered as adjuncts to community college, college or university programs but also through other community organizations that have made arrangements with an educational institution to grant continuing education credits (CEU's), that provide courses which focus on improving the professional skills of participants. Students receive no academic credit for their work but may be able to use earned credits to advance in their careers.

Social services programs that provide assistance for older adults, people with disabilities and other vulnerable individuals who are unable to act on their own behalf or manage their own affairs, or who are in immediate danger due to physical or emotional abuse, unsafe or hazardous living conditions, exploitation, neglect, self-neglect or abandonment. Included are APS programs that investigate cases of abuse, neglect or exploitation working closely with a wide variety of professionals including physicians, nurses, firefighters and law enforcement officers following receipt of a report from friends, neighbors or others concerned for their safety; and public and private guardianship/conservatorship programs that make provisions for people who have been judged to be incompetent by the court by assuming responsibility for the care and custody of the individuals and/or for the management of their estates.

Programs that accept reports of elder/dependent adult abuse or neglect, assess the reports to determine whether they meet APS standards for intervention and submit those that do to Adult Protective Services workers for formal follow-up (or to other community service providers as appropriate).

The principal executive divisions of state government in the United States including state offices, departments, divisions, bureaus, boards and commissions, that are responsible, by law, for the management and control of public business and property.

Governing boards, advisory boards, commissions, committees and other groups that provide advice, guidance and, in some cases, formal oversight, for public and private organizations that are responsible for the provision of services to the community; that assess existing social conditions and problems and develop and assist in the implementation of specific strategies for meeting the human service needs of the community; and/or which assist community agencies and organizations to coordinate the provision of services in an efficient, nonduplicative way. Also included are entities that are composed of community agencies which have an established networking relationship that provides a collaborative approach to addressing specific identified community needs and problems.

Programs that provide information and/or services that deal with the topic of elder and/or dependent adult abuse.