Illinois General Assembly - Illinois Compiled Statutes

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20 ILCS 515/5

(20 ILCS 515/5)

Sec. 5.

State policy.

The following statements are the policy of this
State:

(1) Every child is entitled to live in safety and in health and to survive
into adulthood.

(2) Responding to child deaths is a State and a community responsibility.

(3) When a child dies, the response by the State and the community to the
death must include an accurate and complete determination of the cause of
death, the provision of services to surviving family members, and the
development and implementation of measures to prevent future deaths from
similar causes.  The response may include court action, including prosecution
of persons who may be responsible for the death and juvenile proceedings to
protect other children in the care of the person responsible for the care of
the child who died.

(4) Professionals from disparate disciplines and agencies who have
responsibilities for children and expertise that can promote child safety and
well-being should share their expertise and knowledge so that the goals of
determining the causes of children's deaths, planning and providing services to
surviving children and nonoffending family members, and preventing future child
deaths can be achieved.

(5) A greater understanding of the incidence and causes of child deaths is
necessary if the State is to prevent future child deaths.

(6) Multidisciplinary and multiagency reviews of child deaths can
assist the State and counties in (i) investigating child deaths, (ii)
developing a greater understanding of the incidence and causes of child deaths
and the methods for preventing those deaths, and (iii) identifying gaps in
services to children and families.

(7) Access to information regarding deceased children and their families by
multidisciplinary and multiagency child death review teams is necessary for
those teams to achieve their purposes and duties.

(Source: P.A. 88-614, eff. 9-7-94.)