The bill SB1235 proposes the establishment of the Child Safety Fatality and Near Fatality Review Team within the Department of Child Safety (DCS) in Arizona. This team is tasked with reviewing all reports of child fatalities and near fatalities made to the child abuse hotline. The team will hold regular multidisciplinary meetings to review cases where the department had prior involvement with the child, family, or perpetrator. It aims to identify systemic trends influencing DCS decisions and actions, recommend policy and practice changes to improve outcomes for children and families, and promote a culture of psychological safety within DCS. The team will also produce an annual report detailing the number of fatality and near fatality reports, the number of substantiated and unsubstantiated allegations, systemic trends, and details of cases that present opportunities for systemic learning or change.

The bill further outlines the composition of the multidisciplinary team, which includes DCS employees and public members with relevant professional experience. The team may consult with other governmental entities for pertinent information. The annual report produced by DCS will be presented at a public meeting of a legislative committee, unless an executive session is deemed necessary to protect privacy or safety. The bill also specifies that information gathered is confidential and prohibits further disclosure unless authorized by law or court order. The DCS Oversight Committee is authorized to review systemic failures related to alleged child maltreatment fatalities and near fatalities and may enter into executive sessions as necessary. The bill defines "systemic critical incident review" and makes technical changes, with an effective date on the general effective date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 8-807, 12-2294, 36-3501, 41-3024.14, 13-3601, 13-1423, 11-593, 8-804, 41-3801, 41-812, 8-807.01, 39-121.02, 36-2201, 32-3201, 36-441, 36-445, 36-2402, 36-2917, 36-3506, 8-201, 41-1292, 41-813, 41-814, 41-815
Senate Engrossed Version: 8-469, 41-1292, 8-807, 8-807.01
Chaptered Version: 8-469, 41-1292, 8-807, 8-807.01