Text: HF00408 Text: HF00410 Text: HF00400 - HF00499 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. IOWA CHILD DEATH REVIEW TEAM &endash; FINDINGS AND 1 2 PURPOSE. 1 3 1. The general assembly finds the following: 1 4 a. Protection of the health and welfare of the children of 1 5 this state is a goal of its people and the death of children 1 6 is an important public health concern that requires 1 7 legislative action. 1 8 b. Collecting accurate data on the cause and manner of 1 9 deaths will better enable the state to identify preventable 1 10 deaths, and thus help reduce the incidence of such deaths. 1 11 c. Multidisciplinary review of child deaths is a mechanism 1 12 to assist the state in developing a greater understanding of 1 13 the incidence and causes of child deaths and the methods for 1 14 prevention of such deaths. 1 15 2. The purpose of the child death review team is to aid in 1 16 the reduction of the incidence of serious injury and death to 1 17 children by accurately identifying the cause and manner of 1 18 death of children. 1 19 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 144D.1 IOWA CHILD DEATH REVIEW TEAM 1 20 ESTABLISHED &endash; DUTIES. 1 21 1. An Iowa child death review team is established as an 1 22 independent agency of state government. The Iowa department 1 23 of public health and the department of human services shall 1 24 provide staffing and administrative support to the team. 1 25 2. The membership of the review team is subject to the 1 26 provisions of sections 69.16 and 69.16A, relating to political 1 27 affiliation and gender balance. Review team members who are 1 28 not designated by another appointing authority shall be 1 29 appointed by the director of public health and the director of 1 30 human services. Membership terms shall be for three years. A 1 31 membership vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the 1 32 original appointment. The review team shall elect a 1 33 chairperson and other officers as deemed necessary by the 1 34 review team. The review team shall meet upon the call of the 1 35 chairperson, upon the request of a state agency, or as 2 1 determined by the review team. The members of the team are 2 2 eligible for reimbursement of actual and necessary expenses 2 3 incurred in the performance of their official duties. 2 4 The review team shall include the following: 2 5 a. The state medical examiner or the state medical 2 6 examiner's designee. 2 7 b. A designee of the director of public health. 2 8 c. A designee of the director of human services. 2 9 d. A designee of the commissioner of public safety. 2 10 e. A designee of the administrator of the division of 2 11 vital records of the Iowa department of public health. 2 12 f. A designee of the attorney general. 2 13 g. A designee of the director of transportation. 2 14 h. A designee of the director of the department of 2 15 education. 2 16 i. A certified or licensed professional who is 2 17 knowledgeable concerning sudden infant death syndrome. 2 18 j. Two pediatricians who are knowledgeable concerning 2 19 deaths of children. 2 20 k. Two mental health professionals who are knowledgeable 2 21 concerning deaths of children. 2 22 l. Two social workers who are knowledgeable concerning 2 23 deaths of children. 2 24 m. A certified or licensed professional who is 2 25 knowledgeable concerning domestic violence. 2 26 n. A professional who is knowledgeable concerning 2 27 substance abuse. 2 28 o. A local law enforcement official. 2 29 p. A county attorney. 2 30 q. A nurse who is knowledgeable concerning the deaths of 2 31 children. 2 32 r. A perinatal expert. 2 33 s. A representative of the health insurance industry. 2 34 t. Three others appointed at large. 2 35 3. The review team shall perform the following duties: 3 1 a. Collect, review, and analyze child death certificates 3 2 and child death data, including patient records or other 3 3 pertinent confidential information concerning the deaths of 3 4 children age six or younger, and other information as the 3 5 review team deems appropriate for use in preparing an annual 3 6 report to the governor and the general assembly concerning the 3 7 causes and manner of child deaths. The report shall include 3 8 analysis of factual information obtained through review and 3 9 recommendations regarding prevention of child deaths. 3 10 b. Recommend to the governor and the general assembly 3 11 interventions to prevent deaths of children based on an 3 12 analysis of the cause and manner of such deaths. 3 13 c. Recommend to the agencies represented on the review 3 14 team changes which may prevent child deaths. 3 15 d. Maintain the confidentiality of any patient records or 3 16 other confidential information reviewed. 3 17 e. Review the conduct of any child abuse investigation 3 18 upon the request of the department of human services, 3 19 including but not limited to the case files, methodology, and 3 20 conclusions. 3 21 4. The review team may establish subcommittees to which 3 22 the team may delegate some or all of the team's 3 23 responsibilities under subsection 3. 3 24 5. The Iowa department of public health and the department 3 25 of human services shall adopt rules providing for disclosure 3 26 of information which is confidential under chapter 22 or any 3 27 other provision of state law, to the review team for purposes 3 28 of performing its child death and child abuse review 3 29 responsibilities. 3 30 Sec. 3. MULTIDISCIPLINARY CHILD ABUSE INTERVENTION AND 3 31 PROSECUTION TEAMS. The attorney general is requested to form 3 32 a multidisciplinary committee to develop a proposal for the 3 33 establishment of regional multidisciplinary teams to focus 3 34 upon child abuse prosecution and intervention needs. The 3 35 attorney general is requested to submit a report of the 4 1 committee findings to the governor and the general assembly 4 2 prior to the 1996 legislative session. The committee should 4 3 consider other state statutory schemes for multidisciplinary 4 4 teams, provide options for regional groupings, review options 4 5 for special focus teams to concentrate on particular types of 4 6 abuse such as sexual abuse, and recommend possible funding 4 7 mechanisms. 4 8 EXPLANATION 4 9 This bill relates to provisions for review of child deaths 4 10 and child abuse. 4 11 New section 144D.1 constitutes a new chapter creating an 4 12 Iowa child death review team as an independent agency of state 4 13 government. Legislative findings and purposes are outlined in 4 14 a session law provision. Administrative and staffing support 4 15 for the team is to be provided by the Iowa department of 4 16 public health and the department of human services. The 4 17 review team is to review information concerning the death of 4 18 children age six and younger and to review child abuse 4 19 investigations at the request of the department of human 4 20 services. The review team is to include representatives of 4 21 various state agencies with most appointments made by the 4 22 directors of public health and human services. The review 4 23 team is authorized to appoint subcommittees to which its 4 24 responsibilities may be delegated. 4 25 The attorney general is requested to establish a 4 26 multidisciplinary committee to review and make recommendations 4 27 concerning establishment of regional multidisciplinary teams 4 28 to focus upon child abuse prosecution and intervention needs. 4 29 If a committee is established, a report is to be submitted by 4 30 the attorney general to the governor and the general assembly 4 31 prior to the 1996 legislative session. 4 32 LSB 2526HH 76 4 33 jp/jj/8
Text: HF00408 Text: HF00410 Text: HF00400 - HF00499 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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