7B-1406. Community Child Protection Teams; Child Fatality Prevention Teams; creation and duties.

(a) Community Child Protection Teams are established in every county of the State. Each Community Child Protection Team shall:

(1) Review, in accordance with the procedures established by the director of the county department of social services under G.S. 7B-1409:

a. Selected active cases in which children are being served by child protective services; and

b. Cases in which a child died as a result of suspected abuse or neglect, and

1. A report of abuse or neglect has been made about the child or the child's family to the county department of social services within the previous 12 months, or

2. The child or the child's family was a recipient of child protective services within the previous 12 months.

(2) Submit annually to the board of county commissioners recommendations, if any, and advocate for system improvements and needed resources where gaps and deficiencies may exist.

(b) Any Community Child Protection Team that determines it will not review additional child fatalities shall notify the Team Coordinator. In accordance with the plan established under G.S. 7B-1408(1), a separate Child Fatality Prevention Team shall be established in that county to conduct these reviews. Each Child Fatality Prevention Team shall:

(1) Review the records of all cases of additional child fatalities.

(2) Submit annually to the board of county commissioners recommendations, if any, and advocate for system improvements and needed resources where gaps and deficiencies may exist.

(3) Report findings in connection with these reviews to the Team Coordinator.

(c) All reports to the Team Coordinator under this section shall include:

(1) A listing of the system problems identified through the review process and recommendations for preventive actions;

(2) Any changes that resulted from the recommendations made by the Local Team;

(3) Information about each death reviewed; and

(4) Any additional information requested by the Team Coordinator.