Dr. Costen acknowledges his well-deserved accolades on the House floor. Professor Costen served Temple University for 14 years and never wavered in offering his assistance to anyone requesting his help. He is easily considered one of the foremost experts in the field of elder abuse.

Joining the celebration on the House floor are, from left, Teresa Osborne, acting secretary of the Department of Aging; Rep. Ron Marsico, Rep. Tim Hennessey, GOP chair of the House Aging and Older Adult Services Committee; Dr. Costen; and Rep. Samuelson, Democratic chair of the panel.

Dr. Costen's many admirers -- including family, friends co-workers and lawmakers -- salute his many years of efforts on behalf of older Pennsylvanians. Through the years, Dr. Costen has assisted district attorneys, local law enforcement and area agencies on aging with their investigations of physical abuse and financial exploitation of senior citizens. Dr. Costen and his staff also helped to establish the very first elder abuse task force in Pennsylvania. Now, 33 counties have an elder abuse task force.

Rep. Samuelson's H.R. 151 honors Dr. Costen on his retirement from Temple University’s Institute on Protective Services .