The bill amends the General Laws in Chapter 23-4, detailing the responsibilities of the Office of State Medical Examiners, which include investigating certain deaths, conducting autopsies, determining causes of death, and maintaining records. It introduces the establishment of a multidisciplinary team to review child fatalities with the aim of decreasing preventable child deaths. The bill also mandates the creation of a team to review drug-related overdose deaths and a maternal mortality review committee to develop prevention strategies for maternal deaths. Both teams' work products are to remain confidential, with annual reports to be submitted to the governor and legislative leaders. The bill includes new insertions regarding the confidentiality and protection of the teams' work products and the use of gathered information, while a previous provision has been deleted.

Additionally, the bill proposes the creation of a multidisciplinary team to review suicide deaths, with the objective of reducing their prevalence by analyzing various risk factors. The team's composition may include representatives from multiple departments and agencies, as determined by the director of the Rhode Island Department of Health. The confidentiality of the adult suicide fatality review team's work product is emphasized, with protections under federal and state laws, and it is exempt from subpoena or disclosure outside the team. The team is tasked with developing annual recommendations for suicide prevention in Rhode Island, in accordance with the state's suicide prevention plan. The act will be effective upon passage.

Statutes affected:
2817: 23-4-3