GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1993

S	1 

SENATE BILL 496*

Short Title:  Medical/M.H. Eval. Plan.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Senators Cooper; and Carpenter.
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Referred to:  Children and Human Resources.
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March 16, 1993

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO IMPLEMENT A RECOMMENDATION OF THE CHILD FATALITY TASK FORCE TO REQUIRE THE DIVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES CONVENE A COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP A CHILD MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATION PLAN.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  (a) The Secretary of Human Resources shall convene an ad hoc committee within the Division of Social Services, Department of Human Resources, to develop a collaborative plan to provide medical and mental health evaluations to all children suspected of being abused or neglected, regardless of whether they are referred for evaluations by child protective services programs.  The plan shall include how best to use existing resources and shall also include a recommendation for the amount of new funding needed, if existing resources do not cover all children.  
(b)	The committee shall consist of representatives of:
(1)	The Child Medical Evaluation Program;
(2)	The Division of Medical Assistance;
(3)	The Victim's Assistance Program;
(4)	The Division of Maternal and Child Health;
(5)	The Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services;
(6)	The Office of Rural Health;
(7)	The Department of Insurance; and
(8)	Any other appropriate public or private agencies.
The Secretary may also request any appropriate individual to be a member of the committee.
(c) The committee shall report the plan it develops, together with any legislative proposals, to the General Assembly and the Child Fatality Task Force by March 15, 1994.
Sec.  2. This act becomes effective July 1, 1993.