Special Efforts Being Made in Oregon to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities

Oregon is one of eight states participating in the Three Branch Institute’s technical assistance effort on child safety and strategies to eliminate child fatalities due to abuse and neglect. The Three Branch Institute was founded in 2009 as a partnership among the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, Casey Family Programs, the National Center for State Courts and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.  [Recommendation 5.2b]

In February 2017, DHS adopted temporary rules to describe the requirements and procedure when a Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) is mandated under ORS 419B.024 or when the Director of the Department may convene a Discretionary Critical Incident Response Team (DCIRT). Some of the primary provisions for both a CIRT and DCIRT include defining the scope and purpose of the teams, membership requirements, responsibilities of the CIRT coordinator, and timelines.  Also, the Oregon Legislature is currently considering SB 819 which would, among other things, amend ORS 419B.024 to provide that DHS shall, within timelines for assignment established by DHS rules, assign a CIRT after it becomes aware of a child fatality that was likely the result of child abuse or neglect if the child was in the custody of the department at the time of death; the child, the child’s sibling or any other child living in the household with the child was the subject of a child protective services assessment by DHS within the 12 months preceding the fatality;  the child, the child’s sibling or any other child living in the household with the child had a pending child welfare or adoption case with DHS within the 12 months preceding the fatality; or the child, the child’s sibling or any other child living in the household with the child was the subject of a report of abuse or neglect made to DHS or a law enforcement agency within the 12 months preceding the fatality, whether or not the report was closed at screening without an investigation being commenced.  [Recommendation 6.3]