Creating a work group relating to child fatality protocol and alleged child abuse

This bill relates to the creation of a work group relating to child fatality protocol and alleged child abuse. The bill directs the department of human services to convene a work group of state and local agencies who have experience and expertise in cases involving child fatalities and alleged child abuse. The work group shall develop a protocol for responding to the scene of the death of a child that constitutes a death affecting the public interest that may involve alleged child abuse. The work group shall consider all of the following in developing a protocol: all involvement with the family of the child shall be conducted in a nonaccusatory manner; written information shall be provided to the family explaining the legal requirements for an investigation; the department shall provide an advocate to assist the family; a family shall be allowed to have an advocate of their choosing present; any minor child who is interviewed as a witness to a child death shall conduct the interview in a manner which aligns with forensic interview protocols; if a minor child living in the same home as the child who died is removed from the home and placed in the care of a temporary caretaker, the temporary caretaker shall sign a statement stating that the temporary caretaker agrees to be responsible for the child or children; and if an autopsy of the deceased child indicates that the cause of death was not related to child abuse and the department determines that the household is safe for the child to return to the family, the children in the temporary care of a caretaker shall be returned to the family. The bill provides that the membership of the work group shall include but is not limited to members of law enforcement, including local law enforcement, the sheriff’s department, and the department of public safety; members from child protection centers; and a family member of an individual involved in child abuse investigations. The bill provides that the department shall submit its findings and recommendations in a final report to the general assembly by November 15, 2020.