2010 Pennsylvania Code
Title 23 - DOMESTIC RELATIONS
Chapter 63 - Child Protective Services
6343.1 - Citizen review panels.

     § 6343.1.  Citizen review panels.
        (a)  Establishment.--The department shall establish a minimum
     of three citizen review panels. The department may designate a
     child fatality or near fatality review team under section
     6365(d) (relating to services for prevention, investigation and
     treatment of child abuse) as a citizen review panel as long as
     the team has the capacity to perform as a citizen review panel.
        (b)  Function.--The panels shall examine all of the
     following:
            (1)  Policies, procedures and practices of State and
        local agencies and, where appropriate, specific cases to
        evaluate the extent to which State and local child protective
        services system agencies are effectively discharging their
        child protection responsibilities under section 106(b) of the
        Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (Public Law 93-247,
        42 U.S.C. § 5106a(b)).
            (2)  Other criteria the panel considers important to
        ensure the protection of children, including:
                (i)  a review of the extent to which the State and
            local child protective services system is coordinated
            with the foster care and adoption programs established
            under Part E of Title IV of the Social Security Act (49
            Stat. 620, 42 U.S.C. § 670 et seq.); and
                (ii)  a review of child fatalities and near
            fatalities, including, but not limited to, a review of
            any child fatality or near fatality involving a child in
            the custody of a public or private agency where there is
            no report of suspected child abuse and the cause of death
            is neither the result of child abuse nor natural causes.
        (c)  Membership.--The panels shall be composed of volunteer
     members who represent the community, including members who have
     expertise in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and
     neglect.
        (d)  Meetings.--Each citizen review panel shall meet not less
     than once every three months.
        (e)  Reports.--The department shall issue an annual report
     summarizing the activities and recommendations of the panels and
     summarizing the department response to the recommendations.
     (Nov. 9, 2006, P.L.1358, No.146, eff. 180 days; July 3, 2008,
     P.L.276, No.33, eff. 180 days)

        2008 Amendment.  Act 33 amended subsecs. (a) and (b)(2)(ii).
        2006 Amendment.  Act 146 added section 6343.1.
        Cross References.  Section 6343.1 is referred to in section
     6340 of this title.