Sec. 261.204. ANNUAL CHILD FATALITY REPORT. (a) Not later than March 1 of each year, the department shall publish an aggregated report using information compiled from each child fatality investigation for which the department made a finding regarding abuse or neglect, including cases in which the department determined the fatality was not the result of abuse or neglect. The report must protect the identity of individuals involved and contain the following information:

(1) the age and sex of the child and the county in which the fatality occurred;

(2) whether the state was the managing conservator of the child or whether the child resided with the child's parent, managing conservator, guardian, or other person entitled to the possession of the child at the time of the fatality;

(3) the relationship to the child of the individual alleged to have abused or neglected the child, if any;

(4) the number of any department abuse or neglect investigations involving the child or the individual alleged to have abused or neglected the child during the two years preceding the date of the fatality and the results of the investigations;

(5) whether the department offered family-based safety services or conservatorship services to the child or family;

(6) the types of abuse and neglect alleged in the reported investigations, if any; and

(7) any trends identified in the investigations contained in the report.

(b) The report published under Subsection (a) must:

(1) accurately represent all abuse-related and neglect-related child fatalities in this state, including child fatalities investigated under Subchapter F, Chapter 264, and other child fatalities investigated by the department; and

(2) aggregate the fatalities by investigative findings and case disposition, including the following dispositions:

(A) abuse and neglect ruled out;

(B) unable to determine cause of death;

(C) reason to believe abuse or neglect occurred;

(D) reason to believe abuse or neglect contributed to child's death;

(E) unable to complete review; and

(F) administrative closure.

(c) The department may release additional information in the annual report if the release of the information is not prohibited by state or federal law.

(d) The department shall post the annual report on the department's Internet website and otherwise make the report available to the public.

(e) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission may adopt rules to implement this section.

(f) At least once every 10 years, the department shall use the information reported under this section to provide guidance for possible department policy changes.

Added by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 253 (S.B. 949), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2015.

Amended by:

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 822 (H.B. 1549), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.