7B-1407. Local Teams; composition.

(a) Each Local Team shall consist of representatives of public and nonpublic agencies in the community that provide services to children and their families and other individuals who represent the community. No single team shall encompass a geographic or governmental area larger than one county.

(b) Each Local Team shall consist of the following persons:

(1) The director of the county department of social services and a member of the director's staff;

(2) A local law enforcement officer, appointed by the board of county commissioners;

(3) An attorney from the district attorney's office, appointed by the district attorney;

(4) The executive director of the local community action agency, as defined by the Department of Health and Human Services, or the executive director's designee;

(5) The superintendent of each local school administrative unit located in the county, or the superintendent's designee;

(6) A member of the county board of social services, appointed by the chair of that board;

(7) A local mental health professional, appointed by the director of the area authority established under Chapter 122C of the General Statutes;

(8) The local guardian ad litem coordinator, or the coordinator's designee;

(9) The director of the local department of public health; and

(10) A local health care provider, appointed by the local board of health.

(c) In addition, a Local Team that reviews the records of additional child fatalities shall include the following five additional members:

(1) An emergency medical services provider or firefighter, appointed by the board of county commissioners;

(2) A district court judge, appointed by the chief district court judge in that district;

(3) A county medical examiner, appointed by the Chief Medical Examiner;

(4) A representative of a local child care facility or Head Start program, appointed by the director of the county department of social services; and

(5) A parent of a child who died before reaching the child's eighteenth birthday, to be appointed by the board of county commissioners.

(d) The Team Coordinator shall serve as an ex officio member of each Local Team that reviews the records of additional child fatalities. The board of county commissioners may appoint a maximum of five additional members to represent county agencies or the community at large to serve on any Local Team. Vacancies on a Local Team shall be filled by the original appointing authority.

(e) Each Local Team shall elect a member to serve as chair at the Team's pleasure.

(f) Each Local Team shall meet at least four times each year.

(g) The director of the local department of social services shall call the first meeting of the Community Child Protection Team. The director of the local department of health, upon consultation with the Team Coordinator, shall call the first meeting of the Child Fatality Prevention Team. Thereafter, the chair of each Local Team shall schedule the time and place of meetings, in consultation with these directors, and shall prepare the agenda. The chair shall schedule Team meetings no less often than once per quarter and often enough to allow adequate review of the cases selected for review. Within three months of election, the chair shall participate in the appropriate training developed under this Article.