Orange County NC Website
9 <br /> 6. Regular Agenda <br /> The Board considered item 6-c first, as amended by the Board at the beginning of the meeting. <br /> c. New Legislation for Local Community Child Protection Team (CCPT)/Child Fatality <br /> Prevention Team (CFPT) <br /> The Board received an update on new legislation that seeks to strengthen the State's child fatality <br /> prevention system, and to approve the continuation of the current structure of a single Orange <br /> County local CCPT/CFPT. <br /> BACKGROUND: Session Law 2023-134, Section 9H.15 directed the North Carolina Department <br /> of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) to create a new State Office of Child Fatality <br /> Prevention in order to strengthen the State's Child Fatality Review System for preventing child <br /> fatalities and maltreatment. Along with the creation of a new State office, the legislation lays out <br /> a broad restructuring of child fatality review systems statewide, with the goal of streamlining <br /> processes, preventing child deaths, and promoting child well-being. <br /> Team membership is nearly the same within the new legislation. Required positions continue to <br /> be the following: <br /> • Director of the county department of social services or the director of the consolidated <br /> human services agency <br /> • Additional staff member of the county department of social services or the consolidated <br /> human services agency <br /> • Director of the local department of public health <br /> • Local law enforcement officer <br /> • Attorney from the district attorney's office <br /> • Executive director of the local community action agency, or designee <br /> • Superintendent of each local school administrative unit located in the county, or <br /> designee <br /> • Member of the county board of social services <br /> • Local mental health professional <br /> • Local guardian ad litem coordinator, or designee <br /> • Local health care provider <br /> • Emergency medical services provider or firefighter <br /> • District court judge <br /> • County medical examiner <br /> • Representative of a local childcare facility or Head Start program <br /> • Parent of a child who died before reaching the child's eighteenth birthday <br /> Prior to the new legislation, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) could appoint up to five <br /> (5) additional members from the community to serve on the team. From 2018 until present day, <br /> there is no record indicating any additional team member appointments from the BOCC. The <br /> current team roster is attached. The team currently has 4 vacant positions from the required list. <br /> Team Chair Shannon Barnes has sent out invitations for the attorney position, executive director <br /> of local community action agency and district court judge. The team continues to recruit for a <br /> parent representative. As of January 2025, the additional BOCC-appointed positions are to be <br />