The Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office has announced a new program aimed at reducing incidents of abuse and neglect in elder and dependent adults and increasing the prosecution of crimes connected to deaths from elder abuse or neglect.
The Elder Death Review Team (EDRT) will focus on enhancing the quality of investigations into suspicious elder deaths through increasing the effective exchange of information between law enforcement and social service agencies, according to information from the district attorney's office. The EDRT will point out areas of deficiency, and the system will be changed if necessary.
“The end result will be a strengthening of the collaboration between each of the agencies and will serve to help to prevent future abuse of elder and dependent adults,” said county District Attorney Christie Stanley in a written statement.
In addition to the district attorney's office, the team will incorporate the county Sheriff's Department Coroner's Division, each of the county's law enforcement agencies, the county Public Health Department and county Adult Protective Services.
