(1)The state review
team shall:
(a)Form committees to review a child fatality case, if a local or regional child
fatality review team has not conducted such a review of the case, if the child
fatality occurred in the state of Colorado and was related to one or more of the
following causes:
(II)Unintentional injury;
(IV)Motor vehicle incidents;
(V)Child abuse or neglect, as defined in section 19-1-103 (1), C.R.S.;
(VI)Sudden unexpected infant death; and
(b)Outline trends and patterns of child fatalities in Colorado;
(c)Identify and investigate risk factors that may lead to child fatalities;
(d)Characterize groups of children who are at risk for a child fatality;
(e)Evaluate the services offered and the system
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(1) The state review
team shall:
(a) Form committees to review a child fatality case, if a local or regional child
fatality review team has not conducted such a review of the case, if the child
fatality occurred in the state of Colorado and was related to one or more of the
following causes:
(I) Undetermined causes;
(II) Unintentional injury;
(III) Violence;
(IV) Motor vehicle incidents;
(V) Child abuse or neglect, as defined in section 19-1-103 (1), C.R.S.;
(VI) Sudden unexpected infant death; and
(VII) Suicide.
(b) Outline trends and patterns of child fatalities in Colorado;
(c) Identify and investigate risk factors that may lead to child fatalities;
(d) Characterize groups of children who are at risk for a child fatality;
(e) Evaluate the services offered and the system responses to children who
are at risk of a child fatality and review recommendations of local or regional review
teams, if any;
(e.5) Consider a review of all systemic child-related issues when evaluating
services offered or system responses to children who are at risk of fatality. For
purposes of this paragraph (e.5),systemic child-related issues means any issue
involving one or more agencies.
(f) Take steps to improve the quality and scope of data obtained through
investigations and review of child fatalities;
(f.5) Utilize a child fatalities data-collection system, using nationally
developed public health guidelines, to ensure the proper identification of all
potential child abuse or neglect fatalities;
(g) Report to the governor and to the public health care and human services
committee and the judiciary committee of the house of representatives and the
health and human services committee and the judiciary committee of the senate of
the Colorado general assembly, or any successor committees, concerning any
recommendations for changes to any law, rule, or policy that the state review team
has determined will promote the safety and well-being of children. Notwithstanding
section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), the state review team shall report annually on or before
July 1, 2014, and on or before July 1 each year thereafter. In its report, the state
review team shall provide a list of system strengths and weaknesses identified
through the review process and recommendations for preventive actions to
promote the safety and well-being of children. The annual report must include an
analysis of the state review team's recommendations from the previous year and
state what policy changes, if any, were made to improve child safety and well-being. The state review team shall make the annual report publicly available and
will conduct outreach efforts to educate members of the child protection
community on report findings.
(h) Provide an annual summary to the state department of human services
outlining the trends and patterns of child abuse and neglect fatalities, including
information regarding the findings from cases known and unknown to the county
departments of human or social services;
(i) Collaborate with the department of human services child fatality review
team, created pursuant to section 26-1-139, C.R.S., to make joint recommendations
for the prevention of child fatalities;
(j) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2013.)
(k) Subject to available appropriations, administer moneys to county or
district public health agencies to support local or regional review team activities;
(l) Provide training and technical assistance to local or regional review teams
regarding the facilitation of a child fatality review process, data collection,
evidence-based prevention strategies, and the development of prevention
recommendations. The training and technical assistance for local or regional review
teams must be provided through federally funded training programs for improving
effectiveness in conducting child fatality reviews; except that, if such federally
funded programs are unavailable, the state, subject to available appropriations,
may provide the training and technical assistance. The training and technical
assistance may also include, but need not be limited to:
(I) Strategies or assistance with convening and facilitating local and regional
review teams;
(II) Establishing methods of notification after a child fatality has occurred;
and
(III) Strategies for members of state, local, or regional review teams to
address a conflict of interest in a child fatality review;
(m) Provide an annual data report to each local or regional review team
summarizing its local or regional review data entered into the web-based data-collection system;
(n) Subject to available appropriations and community resources, distribute
information to the public concerning risks to children and recommendations for
promoting the safety and well-being of children;
(o) Serve as a link with child fatality review teams throughout the country
and participate in national child fatality review team activities; and
(p) Perform any other functions necessary to enhance the capability of the
state of Colorado to reduce and prevent childhood injuries and fatalities.