SB 744
Relating to Critical Incident Review Team
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- Passed Senate
- Passed House of Delegates
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill establishes a Critical Incident Review Team within the West Virginia Office of the Inspector General to investigate fatalities and near fatalities involving children in the child welfare system. It requires the Commissioner of the Bureau for Social Services (or designee) to notify the Office of the Inspector General of such incidents within 24 hours and mandates that the Foster Care Ombudsman chair the team. The team’s purpose is to review cases, identify systemic issues, and recommend improvements to prevent future tragedies, with reports submitted to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability.
Key provisions
- Requires notification to the Office of the Inspector General within 24 hours of child fatality or near fatality.
- Designates the Foster Care Ombudsman to chair the Critical Incident Review Team.
- Lists specific members of the Critical Incident Review Team, including representatives from various state agencies and legislative bodies.
- Mandates the team to review fatalities and near fatalities involving children in the child welfare system, including those with known cases or through centralized intake reports.
- Requires the team to submit regular reports to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability.
- Establishes a process for seeking guidance from outside experts.
- Allows the team to share information with child residential facilities for peer review purposes.
- Updates the child welfare data dashboard to include information on child fatalities and near fatalities.
Who is affected
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