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    Elder Abuse Fatality Review Teams

    Learn about the ABA Commission on Law and Aging Elder Abuse Fatality Review Team projects and products, including background information, a list of existing teams, relevant ABA policy, and resources including the original and updated replication manual, team outcomes, and more.

    Catalyzing System Change

    The Commission on Law and Aging has promoted development of elder/adult abuse fatality review teams (EAFRTs) since 2001. A grant from the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, provided seed funding to some of the earliest teams and resulted in the publication of Elder Abuse Fatality Review Teams: A Replication Manual (2005). A second grant made by OVC in 2017 funded updates to that manual; this web page; technical assistance; and an assessment of the impact of team participation upon members, their organizations, and their communities or state.

    Click here for more information about the second OVC project.

    Want technical assistance? - Contact the Commission

    What are Elder Abuse Fatality Review Teams

    An Elder Abuse Fatality Review Team (EAFRT) examines deaths of individuals that may be caused by or related to elder or adult abuse with the goal of identifying system gaps and improving victim services. This focus makes EAFRTs unique among elder abuse multidisciplinary teams and other cross-agency collaborations (e.g., taskforces, networks, coordinating councils). An EAFRT may be known by another name. “Death review team” is a common example. For a list of EAFRTs, click here.

    Hallmarks of EAFRT - Learn More

    Outcomes of EAFRTs

    Do busy professionals benefit from spending time participating in EAFRTs? Do EAFRTs lead to improvements in victim services? Click here for our findings about teams’ outcomes.

    ABA Policy Supports the Goals of EAFRTs

    ABA policy adopted in 2002 supports development of more effective laws, protocols, and procedures that would promote prevention, enhance investigation, and serve better to protect older persons. ABA policy also supports a coordinated response by the justice system and a multidisciplinary approach to the problem of elder abuse, with a broad multidisciplinary coalition in each state to examine systemic approaches to elder abuse. ABA policy adopted in 2008 calls for improvements in victim services and in laws and practices affecting elder abuse victims. Such system improvements are often considered and recommended by EAFRTs.

    Visit our - Policy Page

    EAFRT Resources

    This Web site is funded through cooperative agreement number 2017-VF-GX-Kl40, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this Web site (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided).

    Additional Elder Abuse Resources from the Commission on Law and Aging

    Power of Attorney Abuse, Undue Influence, and the Elder Abuse Pocket and Desk Guides for Law Enforcement are just a few of the resources you will find on our Elder Abuse resource page.

    Elder Abuse Resources - Explore