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MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH April 21, 2010 Board of Health Minutes Transcription completed by Anne Miles Cassell 6 April 21, 2010 Team (CCPT) is a legislated group in every county of the state. State statute grants the Teams the right to review records (medical, mental health, law enforcement, etc.) to carry out its duties. Rebekah Hermann, OCHD Family Home Visitor Coordinator, reported that the CFPT identifies child death patterns, identifies system problems or gaps, and makes and/or carries out recommendations for change to prevent future child fatalities in the county. Community Child Protection Teams (CCPT) were established in 1991 to ensure that families have recourses available to provide safe environments for their children, identifies and informs child protection issues impacting the ability of families to protect their children, and makes recommendations for legislative changes. Both teams are required by statute to submit reports annually to the State of North Carolina and to the local Board of Health and County Commissioners containing any recommendations, including advocacy for system improvements and needed resources where deficiencies and gaps may exist. CFPT and CCPT have functioned as a joint, interagency review team since 1998. Steve Yuhasz noted that all participants are still not as involved as should be. Ms. Herman replied that last year thanks to action by Commissioner Yuhasz an additional participant was now involved in the team. CFPT data is tracked on a calendar year, reviewing deaths from the previous year. In 2009 15 fatalities of children birth through 17 years who died in 2008 were reviewed. Approximately one-third of the deaths appeared to have been preventable. All four of the teen deaths appeared to have been preventable. Ms. Hermann reported that the CCPT reviewed 8 families representing 23 children who were actively involved in Child Protective Services. Findings included substance abuse, mental health issues, sexual abuse, physical abuse, domestic violence, and several children born positive for cocaine. Several system problems have been identified as a result of this report. Barriers exist to access supportive comprehensive mental health services. There are limited resources for children who have experienced severe abuse or neglect where children manifest serious mental health problems and complex medical challenges. Per statute a local health provider shall be appointed to the local CFPT by the Board of Health. Deborah Flowers, MSN, RN – program coordinator/nurse consultant with the UNC Department of Pediatrics’ NC Child Medical Evaluation Program, has been participating since January 2007 and even serving unofficially as co-chair. She is internationally certified as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner for Adults and Pediatrics, has 25 years of experience as an Emergency Department nurse, and is very knowledgeable of child abuse/child sexual abuse issues. Staff recommended that a request be forwarded to the UNC Department of Pediatrics NC Child Medical Evaluation Program to appoint Deborah Flowers to the CFPT. The Board thanked Ms. Hermann for the report and had no further