PocketLaw | Illinois Compiled Statutes

Department of Juvenile Justice Mortality Review Team Act.

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(730 ILCS 195/1)

Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Department of Juvenile Justice Mortality Review Team Act.

(Source: P.A. 96-1378, eff. 7-29-10.)

(730 ILCS 195/5)

Sec. 5. State policy. The following statements are the policy of this State:

(1) Understanding that youth have different needs than adults, it is the mission of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice to preserve public safety by reducing recidivism. Youth committed to the Department will receive individualized services provided by qualified staff that give them the skills to become productive citizens.
(2) When a youth dies while committed to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice, the response by the State and the community to the death must include an accurate and complete determination of the cause of death and the factors contributing to the death and the development and implementation of measures where necessary and appropriate to prevent future deaths from similar causes.
(3) Professionals from diverse disciplines and agencies who have responsibilities for youth and expertise that can promote youth safety and well-being, particularly while in State custody, should share their expertise and knowledge so that the goals of determining the causes of youth deaths and preventing future youth deaths can be achieved.
(4) A greater understanding of the incidence and causes of deaths of youths in State custody is necessary to aid the prevention of such deaths in the future.
(5) Multidisciplinary and multiagency reviews of youth deaths can assist the Department of Juvenile Justice in (i) developing a greater understanding of the incidence and causes of youth deaths and the methods for preventing those deaths, (ii) identifying any deficiencies in services and systems within the Department of Juvenile Justice that may place youth at greater risk for death while in the custody of the Department, and (iii) identifying and implementing improvements to the Department's systems for delivery of such services.
(6) Access to information regarding deceased youth and their families by multidisciplinary and multiagency mortality review teams is necessary for those teams to achieve their purposes and duties.

(Source: P.A. 96-1378, eff. 7-29-10.)

(730 ILCS 195/10)

Sec. 10. Definitions. In this Act, unless the context requires otherwise:

"Department" means the Department of Juvenile Justice.

"Director" means the Director of Juvenile Justice.

"Mortality review team" or "team" means a Department of Juvenile Justice mortality review team appointed pursuant to this Act.

"Youth" means any person committed by court order to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.

(Source: P.A. 96-1378, eff. 7-29-10.)

(730 ILCS 195/15)

Sec. 15. Mortality review teams; establishment.

(a) Upon the occurrence of the death of any youth in the Department's custody, the Director shall appoint members and a chairperson to a mortality review team. The Director shall make the appointments within 30 days after the youth's death.

(b) Each mortality review team shall consist of at least one member from each of the following categories:

(1) Pediatrician or other physician.
(2) Representative of the Department.
(3) State's Attorney or State's Attorney representative.
(4) Representative of a local law enforcement agency.
(5) Psychologist or psychiatrist.
(6) Representative of a local health department.
(7) Designee of the Board of Education of the Department of Juvenile Justice School District created under Section 13-40 of the School Code.
(8) Coroner or forensic pathologist.
(9) Representative of a juvenile justice advocacy organization.
(10) Representative of a local hospital, trauma center, or provider of emergency medical services.
(11) Representative of the Illinois State Police.
(12) Representative of the Office of the Governor's Executive Inspector General.

A mortality review team may make recommendations to the Director concerning additional appointments.

(c) Each mortality review team member must have demonstrated experience or an interest in the welfare of youth in State custody.

(d) The mortality review teams shall be funded in the Department's annual budget to provide for the travel expenses of team members and professional services engaged by the team.

(e) If a death of a youth in the Department's custody occurs while a prior youth death is under review by a team pursuant to this Act, the Director may request that the team review the subsequent death.

(f) Upon the conclusion of all reporting required under Sections 20, 25, and 30 with respect to a death reviewed by a team, all appointments to the team shall expire.

(Source: P.A. 102-538, eff. 8-20-21.)

(730 ILCS 195/20)

Sec. 20. Reviews of youth deaths.

(a) A mortality review team shall review every death of a youth that occurs within a facility of the Department or as the result of an act or incident occurring within a facility of the Department, including deaths resulting from suspected illness, injury, or self-harm or from an unknown cause.

(b) If the coroner of the county in which a youth died determines that the youth's death was the direct or proximate result of alleged or suspected criminal activity, the mortality review team's investigation shall be in addition to any criminal investigation of the death but shall be limited to a review of systems and practices of the Department. In the course of conducting its review, the team shall obtain assurance from law enforcement officials that acts taken in furtherance of the review will not impair any criminal investigation or prosecution.

(1) Assist in determining the cause and manner of the youth's death, if requested.
(2) Evaluate any means by which the death might have been prevented, including, but not limited to, the evaluation of the Department's systems for the following:

(A) Training.
(B) Assessment and referral for services.
(C) Communication.
(D) Housing.
(E) Supervision of youth.
(F) Intervention in critical incidents.
(G) Reporting.
(H) Follow-up and mortality review following critical incidents or youth deaths.

(3) Recommend continuing education and training for Department staff.
(4) Make specific recommendations to the Director concerning the prevention of deaths of youth in the Department's custody.

(d) A mortality review team shall review a youth death as soon as practicable and not later than within 90 days after a law enforcement agency's completion of its investigation if the death is the result of alleged or suspected criminal activity. If there has been no investigation by a law enforcement agency, the mortality review team shall review a youth's death within 90 days after obtaining the information necessary to complete the review from the coroner, pathologist, medical examiner, or law enforcement agency, depending on the nature of the case. The team shall meet as needed in person or via teleconference or video conference following appointment of the team members. When necessary and upon request of the team, the Director may extend the deadline for a review up to an additional 90 days.

(Source: P.A. 96-1378, eff. 7-29-10.)

(730 ILCS 195/25)

Sec. 25. Director's reply and additional report.

(a) As soon as practicable, but not later than 90 days after receipt of the recommendations made by a team pursuant to subdivision (c)(4) of Section 20, the Director shall review and reply to each such recommendation. With respect to each recommendation made by a team, the Director shall submit his or her reply to the chairperson of that team. The Director's reply to each recommendation must include a statement as to whether the Director intends to implement the recommendation. The Director shall implement a team's recommendations as feasible and appropriate and shall respond in writing to explain the implementation or non-implementation of each recommendation.

(b) Within 90 days after the Director submits a reply with respect to a recommendation as required by subsection (a), the Director must submit an additional report to the chairperson of the team that sets forth in detail the way, if any, in which the Director will implement the recommendation and the schedule for implementing the recommendation.

(Source: P.A. 96-1378, eff. 7-29-10.)

(730 ILCS 195/30)

Sec. 30. Report to Executive Inspector General. Within 180 days after the Director submits a reply under subsection (a) of Section 25 concerning the implementation of a team's recommendation, the Director shall submit a further report to the chairperson of the team that made the recommendation and to the Executive Inspector General appointed by the Governor under Section 20-10 of the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. The Director's report shall set forth any specific changes in the Department's policies and procedures that have been made in response to the team's recommendation.

(Source: P.A. 96-1378, eff. 7-29-10.)

(730 ILCS 195/35)

Sec. 35. Team access to information.

(a) The Department shall provide to a mortality review team, on the request of the team's chairperson, all records and information in the Department's possession that are relevant to the team's review of a youth death.

(b) The mortality review team shall have access to all records and information that are relevant to its review of a youth death and in the possession of a State or local governmental agency, including, without limitation, birth certificates, all relevant medical and mental health records, records of law enforcement agency investigations, records of coroner or medical examiner investigations, records of a probation and court services department regarding the youth, and records of a social services agency that provided services to the youth or the youth's family.

(c) Each appointed member of a mortality review team shall sign an acknowledgement upon appointment and before participating in meetings or review of records acknowledging the confidentiality of information obtained in the course of the team's review and containing the member's agreement not to reproduce or distribute confidential information obtained in the course of the review.

(Source: P.A. 96-1378, eff. 7-29-10.)

(730 ILCS 195/40)

Sec. 40. Public access to information.

(a) Meetings of a mortality review team shall be closed to the public. Meetings of the mortality review teams are not subject to the Open Meetings Act, as provided in that Act.

(b) Records and information provided to a mortality review team and records maintained by a team are confidential and not subject to inspection and copying under the Freedom of Information Act, as provided in that Act.

(c) Members of a mortality review team are not subject to examination, in any civil or criminal proceeding, concerning information presented to members of the team or opinions formed by members of the team based on that information. A team member may, however, be examined concerning information provided to the team that is otherwise available to the public.

(d) Records and information produced by a mortality review team are not subject to discovery or subpoena and are not admissible as evidence in any civil or criminal proceeding. Those records and information are, however, subject to discovery or a subpoena, and are admissible as evidence, to the extent they are otherwise available to the public.

(Source: P.A. 96-1378, eff. 7-29-10.)

(730 ILCS 195/45)

Sec. 45. Indemnification of team members. The State shall indemnify and hold harmless members of a mortality review team for all their acts, omissions, decisions, or other conduct arising out of the scope of their service on the team, except for acts, omissions, decisions, or other conduct involving willful or wanton misconduct. The method of providing indemnification shall be as provided in the State Employee Indemnification Act.

(Source: P.A. 96-1378, eff. 7-29-10.)

(730 ILCS 195/90)

Sec. 90. (Amendatory provisions; text omitted).

(Source: P.A. 96-1378, eff. 7-29-10; text omitted.)

(730 ILCS 195/92)

Sec. 92. (Amendatory provisions; text omitted).

(Source: P.A. 96-1378, eff. 7-29-10; text omitted.)

(730 ILCS 195/99)

Sec. 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.

(Source: P.A. 96-1378, eff. 7-29-10.)

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