Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon announced in late June that based on its success and a need to involve more agencies, the Kane County Elder Fatality Review Team (EFRT) will expand to DeKalb and Kendall counties, and change its name to the Tri-County EFRT. As a result of its work the last four years, the Kane EFRT saw an opportunity to expand to DeKalb and Kendall counties because many of the cases it has examined crossed into those jurisdictions, according to McMahon.

 

In response to the growing population of citizens 60 and older, evidence of abuse and neglect of seniors and the belief that collaborative oversight to appropriately protect vulnerable seniors was systemically lacking, Kane County in 2007 launched the Elder Fatality Review Team, a local interagency group designed to ensure that suspicious deaths of the elderly would be thoroughly examined and evaluated. In reviewing the deaths, the team sought to determine if the deceased was the victim of abuse or neglect prior to death, and if abuse or neglect played a role in their death. If so, the panel determined what remedies should have taken place and how to ensure that those remedies are not overlooked in future cases, whether locally, statewide or both.

 

As a result of its work the last four years, the Kane EFRT saw an opportunity to expand to DeKalb and Kendall counties because many of the cases it has examined crossed into those jurisdictions.

 

"The Elder Fatality Review Team has been very beneficial for various agencies to better evaluate whether a senior was the victim of abuse or neglect prior to death, whether abuse or neglect was a factor in their death, what the signs were of the presence of abuse or neglect, what could have been done to prevent it, and in some cases helping to evaluate the appropriateness of criminal charges," said McMahon. "However, the EFRT isn�t as much about determining criminal action as it is about ensuring that agencies are collaborating to share information so that suspicious deaths are thoroughly evaluated, systemic changes are made and in the long run seniors receive proper care and treatment," he said.

 

The Tri-County EFRT will be comprised of but not limited to a representative from each state�s attorney�s office and coroner's office as well as a representative from Senior Services Associates, Kane and Kendall counties; Elder Care Services, DeKalb County; the Illinois Department on Aging; the Illinois Department of Public Health and a law-enforcement representative from each county.