A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT allowing local departments of social services to share confidential information with other child protection organizations when the confidential information is needed to protect a child from abuse and neglect.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 7B‑302(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	When a report of abuse, neglect, or dependency is received, the director of the department of social services shall make a prompt and thorough assessment, using either a family assessment response or an investigative assessment response, in order to ascertain the facts of the case, the extent of the abuse or neglect, and the risk of harm to the juvenile, in order to determine whether protective services should be provided or the complaint filed as a petition. When the report alleges abuse, the director shall immediately, but no later than 24 hours after receipt of the report, initiate the assessment. When the report alleges neglect or dependency, the director shall initiate the assessment within 72 hours following receipt of the report. When the report alleges abandonment, the director shall immediately initiate an assessment, take appropriate steps to assume temporary custody of the juvenile, and take appropriate steps to secure an order for nonsecure custody of the juvenile. The assessment and evaluation shall include a visit to the place where the juvenile resides, except when the report alleges abuse or neglect in a child care facility as defined in Article 7 of Chapter 110 of the General Statutes. When a report alleges abuse or neglect in a child care facility as defined in Article 7 of Chapter 110 of the General Statutes, a visit to the place where the juvenile resides is not required. When the report alleges abandonment, the assessment shall include a request from the director to law enforcement officials to investigate through the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons and other national and State resources whether the juvenile is a missing child. All information received by the department of social services, including the identity of the reporter, shall be held in strictest confidence by the department. However, the department of social services shall disclose confidential information to any federal, State, or local governmental entity or its agent needing confidential information to protect a juvenile from abuse and neglect. Any confidential information disclosed to any federal, State, or local governmental entity, or its agent, under this subsection shall remain confidential with the other governmental entity, or its agent, and shall only be redisclosed by the governmental entity or its agent for purposes directly connected with carrying out the governmental entity's or agent's mandated responsibilities."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.