DIVISION OF FAMILY SERVICES OFFICIAL NAMED TO STATE PANEL

The assistant area director of the Cape Girardeau Division of Family Services has been named as a member of the state's Child Fatality Review Panel.

Gary Thurman was named to the eight-member oversight committee in a recent announcement from the Missouri Department of Social Services in Jefferson City.

Panel members will document the progress of child fatality review panels in each county as well as identify and report on trends in child abuse based on demographic information gathered by the panels. A state law mandating the establishment of the panels in each county took effect Aug. 28.

Other members of the state Child Fatality Review Panel are: John Lenk, coroner of Lincoln County; Jay Dix, medical examiner of Boone County; Jane Hartrup, public health director of St. Francois County; Doug Abele, prosecuting attorney of Cooper County; Larry Meyers, director of juvenile court services in Jackson County; Gary Starke, sheriff of Pettis County; and Lt. Sam Lackland, of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

Stangler last week named Gus Kolilis, a former policeman with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for over 23 years, to coordinate the oversight of the local review panels as well as any technical assistance. A department employee, Kolilis will provide full-time technical assistance to any panel requesting his services in the investigation of a suspicious child death.

"Gus has a sincere interest in the protection of children," Stangler said. "In fact, he volunteered for the job. His experience as a police officer coupled with his commitment to improving the detection of fatal child abuse more than qualifies him as one of the state's leading experts on child fatality."

Kolilis will work with seven regional coordinators, also named last week. The regional coordinators were chosen from the existing department and prosecution staff to act in an oversight capacity, to ensure that teams meet on a regular basis, and to provide technical assistance.

The coordinators are: Greg Carman, Poplar Bluff; Dwight Warren, St. Louis City; Maura McShane, St. Louis County; Kathy Fincham, Jackson County; Cynthia Rushefsky, Springfield; Doug Miller, Sedalia; and Becky Mueller, Troy.

Kolilis emphasized the importance of the consistent, collaborative training of each panel and the use of standardized protocols for each child fatality review panel.

"By Jan. 1, 1992, each county's panel will be fully trained and ready at a moment's notice to investigate any suspicious child death. The collective goal of all panel members is not only to make it impossible for the fatal child abuser to get away with murder, but to be better prepared to protect the potential victim."