The Trumbull Advocacy and Protective Network (TAPN) in Ohio is a county network of agencies in social services, government, medicine, law enforcement, and housing that coordinates and integrates services and programs for seniors with extraordinary needs. The purpose of this study was to assess the strengths and weaknesses of TAPN and make recommendations for improving its effectiveness. Seventeen TAPN member agencies participated in this formative evaluation in Phase 1, whereas 19 participated in Phase 2. The fact that mean scale scores for the TAPN Accomplishment Scale increased significantly over time was revealed by t tests. The most important changes were in addressing the special needs of older adults being served by more than one agency, advocating for the efficient and effective allocation of resources, enabling agencies to better serve their clients, and offering a “single focus location” for advocacy. Important future activities and functions of TAPN were identified, and the lessons learned were described.
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