§ 7B-1403.  (Effective until July 1, 2025) Task Force - duties.

The Task Force shall:

(1) Undertake a statistical study of the incidences and causes of child deaths in this State and establish a profile of child deaths. The study shall include (i) an analysis of all community and private and public agency involvement with the decedents and their families prior to death, and (ii) an analysis of child deaths by age, cause, and geographic distribution;

(2) Develop a system for multidisciplinary review of child deaths. In developing such a system, the Task Force shall study the operation of existing Local Teams. The Task Force shall also consider the feasibility and desirability of local or regional review teams and, should it determine such teams to be feasible and desirable, develop guidelines for the operation of the teams. The Task Force shall also examine the laws, rules, and policies relating to confidentiality of and access to information that affect those agencies with responsibilities for children, including State and local health, mental health, social services, education, and law enforcement agencies, to determine whether those laws, rules, and policies inappropriately impede the exchange of information necessary to protect children from preventable deaths, and, if so, recommend changes to them;

(3) Receive and consider reports from the State Team; and

(4) Perform any other studies, evaluations, or determinations the Task Force considers necessary to carry out its mandate.  (1991, c. 689, s. 233(a); 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 17, s. 3.2; 1998-202, s. 6; 1998-212, s. 12.44(a), (c).)

§ 7B-1403.  (Effective July 1, 2025) Task Force - duties.

The Task Force shall do all of the following:

(1) Undertake a study of the incidences and causes of child deaths in this State as well as evidence-driven strategies for preventing future child deaths, abuse, and neglect. The study shall include at least all of the following: analysis of child deaths by age, cause, and geographic distribution;

a. Aggregate information from child death reviews compiled by the State Office addressing data on child deaths, the identification of systemic problems, and Local Team recommendations for prevention strategies or changes in law or policy.

b. A data analysis of all child deaths by age, cause, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic distribution.

c. Information from subject matter experts that informs the understanding of the causes of child deaths; strategies to prevent child deaths, abuse, and neglect; or a combination of these.

(2) Advise the State Office of Child Fatality Prevention with respect to the operation of an effective statewide system for multidisciplinary review of child deaths and the implementation of evidence-driven strategies to prevent child deaths, abuse, and neglect.

(3) Receive and consider reports from the State Office addressing aggregate data, information, findings, and recommendations resulting from Local Team reviews of child deaths, the functioning of any aspect of the statewide Child Fatality Prevention System, and any other type of report the Task Force deems relevant to carrying out its duties under this Article.

(4) Develop recommendations for changes in law, policy, rules, or the implementation of evidence-driven prevention strategies to be included in the annual report required by G.S. 7B-1412.

(5) Perform any other studies, evaluations, or determinations the Task Force considers necessary to carry out its mandate.  (1991, c. 689, s. 233(a); 1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 17, s. 3.2; 1998-202, s. 6; 1998-212, s. 12.44(a), (c); 2023-134, s. 9H.15(f); 2024-1, s. 3.6(a); 2024-57, s. 2B.2(d).)