Mark Lachs, M.D., MPH, is the Irene and Roy Psaty Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, Chief of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, and the Director of Geriatrics for the NewYork-Presbyterian Health Care System.  Both a practicing geriatrician and a physician scientist, Dr. Lachs has devoted his career to protecting the rights and dignity of older adults with a special focus on victims of elder abuse.  IDA was developed by faculty members in his program based on years of experience with elder abuse cases after recognizing that adult protective workers can and should have a greater role in the assessment of decision making capacity in older adults.