Alabama § 26-16-94 - State Child Death Review Team - Purpose; Duties.

§ 26-16-94. State Child Death Review Team - Purpose; Duties.

The purpose of the state team is to decrease the risk and incidence of unexpected/unexplained child injury and death by undertaking all of the following duties:

(1) Identifying factors which make a child at risk for injury or death.

(2) Collecting and sharing information among state team members and agencies which provide services to children and families or investigate child deaths.

(3) Making suggestions and recommendations to appropriate participating agencies regarding improving coordination of services and investigations.

(4) Identifying trends relevant to unexpected/unexplained child injury and death.

(5) Reviewing reports from local child death teams and, upon request of a local team, individual cases of child deaths.

(6) Providing training and written materials to the local teams to assist them in carrying out their duties. Such written materials shall include model protocols for the operation of the local teams.

(7) Developing a protocol for child death investigations, and revising the protocol as needed. The protocol for child death investigations shall not include any activity that causes public scrutiny of the family circumstances surrounding the subject death.

(8) Undertaking a study of the operations of local teams considering training needs and service gaps. If the state team determines that changes to any statute, regulation, or policy is needed to decrease the risk and incidence of child injury and death, it shall propose and recommend changes to such statute, regulation, or policy in its annual report.

(9) Educating the public in Alabama regarding the incidence and causes of child injury and death and the public role in aiding in reducing the risk of such injuries and deaths. The state team shall enlist the support of civil, philanthropic, and public service organizations in its performance of its education duties.

(10) Developing and implementing such procedures and policies as are necessary for its own operation.

(11) Providing the Governor and the Legislature with an annual written report which shall include, but not be limited to, the state team’s findings and recommendations for each of its duties; and providing copies of such report to the public.

(12) Determining, by consent of state team members, what protocols should be followed by team members for providing data and/or information to the state team as a whole.

(13) Examining confidentiality and access to information laws, regulations, and policies for agencies with responsibilities for children, including health, public welfare, education, social services, mental health, and law enforcement agencies, and determining whether those laws, regulations, or policies impede the exchange of information necessary to reduce the risk of injury and death. If the state team determines that such laws, regulations, or policies do impede the necessary exchange of information, it shall take prompt steps to propose and recommend changes to the appropriate state agencies.