36-3501

36-3501. Child fatality review team;
membership; duties

A. The child fatality review team is established in the department of health
services. The team is composed of the head of the following departments, agencies,
councils or associations or that person's designee:

1. Attorney general.

2. Office of women's and children's health in the department of health services.

3. Office of planning and health status monitoring in the department of health
services.

4. Division of behavioral health in the department of health services.

5. Division of developmental disabilities in the department of economic security.

6. Division of children and family services in the department of economic security.

7. Governor's office for children.

8. Administrative office of the courts.

9. Parent assistance office of the supreme court.

10. Department of juvenile corrections.

11. Arizona chapter of a national pediatric society.

B. The director of the department of health services shall appoint the following
members to serve staggered three year terms:

1. A medical examiner who is a forensic pathologist.

2. A maternal and child health specialist involved with the treatment of native
Americans.

3. A representative of a private nonprofit organization of tribal governments in
this state.

4. A representative of the Navajo tribe.

5. A representative of the United States military family advocacy program.

6. A representative of the Arizona sudden infant death advisory council.

7. A representative of a statewide prosecuting attorneys advisory council.

8. A representative of a statewide law enforcement officers advisory council who is
experienced in child homicide investigations.

9. A representative of an association of county health officers.

10. A child advocate who is not employed by or an officer of this state or a
political subdivision of this state.

11. A public member. If local teams are formed pursuant to this article, the
director of the department of health services shall select this member from one of those
local teams.

C. Beginning not later than January 1, 1994, the team shall:

1. Develop a child fatalities data collection system.

2. Provide training to cooperating agencies, individuals and local child fatality
review teams on the use of the child fatalities data system.

3. Conduct an annual statistical report on the incidence and causes of child
fatalities in this state during the past fiscal year and submit a copy of this report,
including its recommendations for action, to the governor, the president of the senate
and the speaker of the house of representatives. The team shall submit this report on or
before November 15 of each year.

4. Encourage and assist in the development of local child fatality review teams.

5. Develop standards and protocols for local child fatality review teams and
provide training and technical assistance to these teams.

6. Develop protocols for child fatality investigations including protocols for law
enforcement agencies, prosecutors, medical examiners, health care facilities and social
service agencies.

7. Study the adequacy of statutes, ordinances, rules, training and services to
determine what changes are needed to decrease the incidence of preventable child
fatalities and, as appropriate, take steps to implement these changes.

8. Provide case consultation on individual cases to local teams if requested.

9. Educate the public regarding the incidence and causes of child fatalities as
well as the public's role in preventing these deaths.

10. Designate a team chairperson.

11. Develop and distribute an informational brochure which describes the purpose,
function and authority of a team. The brochure shall be available at the offices of the
department of health services.

D. Team members are not eligible to receive compensation, but members appointed
pursuant to subsection B are eligible for reimbursement of expenses pursuant to title 38,
chapter 4, article 2.

E. The department of health services shall provide professional and administrative
support to the team.

F. Notwithstanding subsections C and D, this section shall not be construed to
require expenditures above the revenue available from the child fatality review fund.