Texas Statutes
Subchapter F. Child Fatality Review and Investigation
Section 264.503. Purpose and Duties of Committee and Specified State Agencies

Sec. 264.503. PURPOSE AND DUTIES OF COMMITTEE AND SPECIFIED STATE AGENCIES. (a) The purpose of the committee is to:
(1) develop an understanding of the causes and incidence of child deaths in this state;
(2) identify procedures within the agencies represented on the committee to reduce the number of preventable child deaths; and
(3) promote public awareness and make recommendations to the governor and the legislature for changes in law, policy, and practice to reduce the number of preventable child deaths.
(b) To ensure that the committee achieves its purpose, the department and the Department of State Health Services shall perform the duties specified by this section.
(c) The department shall work cooperatively with:
(1) the Department of State Health Services;
(2) the committee; and
(3) individual child fatality review teams.
(d) The Department of State Health Services shall:
(1) recognize the creation and participation of review teams;
(2) promote and coordinate training to assist the review teams in carrying out their duties;
(3) assist the committee in developing model protocols for:
(A) the reporting and investigating of child fatalities for law enforcement agencies, child protective services, justices of the peace and medical examiners, and other professionals involved in the investigations of child deaths;
(B) the collection of data regarding child deaths; and
(C) the operation of the review teams;
(4) develop and implement procedures necessary for the operation of the committee;
(5) develop and make available training for justices of the peace and medical examiners regarding inquests in child death cases; and
(6) promote education of the public regarding the incidence and causes of child deaths, the public role in preventing child deaths, and specific steps the public can undertake to prevent child deaths.
(d-1) The committee shall enlist the support and assistance of civic, philanthropic, and public service organizations in the performance of the duties imposed under Subsection (d).
(e) In addition to the duties under Subsection (d), the Department of State Health Services shall:
(1) collect data under this subchapter and coordinate the collection of data under this subchapter with other data collection activities;
(2) perform annual statistical studies of the incidence and causes of child fatalities using the data collected under this subchapter; and
(3) evaluate the available child fatality data and use the data to create public health strategies for the prevention of child fatalities.
(f) Not later than April 1 of each even-numbered year, the committee shall publish a report that contains aggregate child fatality data collected by local child fatality review teams, recommendations to prevent child fatalities and injuries, and recommendations to the department on child protective services operations based on input from the child safety review subcommittee. The committee shall submit a copy of the report to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, Department of State Health Services, and department and make the report available to the public. Not later than October 1 of each even-numbered year, the department shall submit a written response to the committee's recommendations to the committee, governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and Department of State Health Services describing which of the committee's recommendations regarding the operation of the child protective services system the department will implement and the methods of implementation.
(g) The committee shall perform the functions and duties required of a citizen review panel under 42 U.S.C. Section 5106a(c)(4)(A).
(h) Each member of the committee must be a member of the child fatality review team in the county where the committee member resides unless the committee member is an appointed representative of a state agency.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 255, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 878, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 957, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 268 (S.B. 6), Sec. 1.57, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 396 (S.B. 802), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1145 (S.B. 66), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 822 (H.B. 1549), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2017.