REVIEWS OF CHILDREN'S DEATHS

House Bill 4387

Sponsor:  Rep. Margaret O'Brien

Committee:  Families, Children, and Seniors

Complete to 5-6-11

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4387 AS INTRODUCED 3-3-11

House Bill 4387 would amend Section 7b of the Child Protection Law to do the following:

·                     Require a child fatality review team created under the law to include a representative of a local court and require the Department of Human Services's multi-agency advisory committee to include a representative of a state or local court.

·                     Require the citizen review panel to review each child fatality involving allegations of child abuse or neglect for each child who, at the time of death or within the preceding 12 months, was under the jurisdiction of the Family Court in an abuse or neglect case.

·                     Require the advisory committee to transmit its annual report of child fatalities to the Department of Human Services, and publish the report between 60 and 90 days after transmitting it to the department.

Currently under the law each county is required to have a standing child fatality review team, although two or more counties may appoint a single review team for those counties. The law also requires the DHS to establish a multi-agency, multidisciplinary advisory committee to identify and make recommendations on policy and statutory changes pertaining to child fatalities and to guide statewide prevention, education, and training efforts. The law defines "citizen review panel" as a panel established as required by the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. (Under federal law, Michigan has a Child Death CRP; a Prevention CRP; and a Child Protective Services, Foster Care, and Adoption CRP.)

In addition, the law requires the DHS advisory committee to publish an annual report on child fatalities, using an annual compilation of child fatalities reported by the State Registrar under the Public Health Code and data received from the child fatality review teams. The report must include certain specified information, and the DHS must transmit it to the governor and the legislative committees with jurisdiction over child protection matters.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill would have no fiscal impact on state or local government.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   E. Best

                                                                                                   Fiscal Analyst:   Kevin Koorstra

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.