Commissioners praise Shipmon's aid to seniors

Shipmon also received proclamations from the city of Youngstown.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The woman who leads Mahoning County's Adult Protective Services unit has been recognized as "Champion for the Seniors" by county commissioners.
Local officials are piling on the accolades for Krishmu Shipmon, supervisor at the county's Job and Family Services, who recently was named Adult Protective Administrator of the Year by Ohio Coalition for Adult Protective Services.
APS is a state-mandated agency that investigates reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation of people age 60 and older.
Four social workers at JFS received 973 referrals last year from family members, hospitals, emergency workers, medical personnel and neighbors, Shipmon said. The social workers help seniors find ways to continue living in their own homes, with commitment to nursing homes as the last resort.
Shipmon and other APS social workers described myriad situations they encounter, including family violence, financial abuse of seniors and competency issues that can lead to self-abuse.
"We operate on very limited resources, but we will never stop trying," Shipmon said.
Accolades
Shipmon received a proclamation from commissioners and resolutions from Youngstown City Council and Mayor Jay Williams by Councilman Richard Atkinson and city Clerk of Courts Sarah Brown Clark, respectively.
"Kris made it her life's work to care for people who have come to the end of the road and have no one to care for them," Brown Clark said.
"She comes from the steel city, but she has a heart of gold," said John Zachariah, executive director of Mahoning County JFS.
Shipmon has worked in the JFS department for 32 years and became a supervisor six years ago. A graduate of The Rayen School, she earned a bachelor's degree at Central State University and a master's degree at Youngstown State University.
Reports about senior abuse or neglect are kept confidential, and anyone who makes a good-faith report is protected from lawsuits. For information, call the county JFS at (330) 884-6952.