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Revisions To Oregon Child Fatality Reviews Effective October 1st

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Changes in how child fatality reviews are handled in Oregon become effective October 1st.

The Department of Human Services says they will now assign a Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) to investigate child deaths when there’s a “reasonable” belief abuse or neglect was involved.  Previously, that didn’t happen before an assessment by Child Protective Services was completed.

Another change is increased transparency in how a response team processes a child fatality. Details of incidents will be made available on the DHS website.

Brendan Murphy is with the Oregon District Attorney’s Association, which supports the changes.

“Any opportunity to assess what occurred, that resulted in a child’s death is something that as prosecutors, we are supporting," he tells KLCC.  "It’s just another opportunity to have oversight in review of a system that is designed to protect children.”

The revisions came through Senate Bill 832, sponsored by State Senator Sara Gelser, a Corvallis Democrat.

Copyright 2019, KLCC.

Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016.   In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional),  the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from  the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.
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