The American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging received an early grant to study elder abuse fatality review teams (EAFRTs) and in 2005 created its first Replication Guide; the current study reports on a subsequent national survey of EAFRTs conducted 14 years later to identify important similarities and differences in team operations, impact, and sustainability.
Fatality review teams (FRTs) have been historically helpful in identifying systemic issues that may lead to child and domestic violence deaths to improve responses, guide prevention efforts, and better serve victims. More recently, these teams have formed to address similar concerns in elder abuse matters. The current study reports that EAFRTs are growing nationally in numbers, have positive impacts on member elder abuse and victim services knowledge, skills, and confidence, but experience challenges to impact evaluability and sustainability due to low funding and membership time, turnover, and commitment. Recommendations for supporting newly developing and currently functioning EAFRTs are provided. (publisher abstract modified)