Bill > HB1012

This bill authorizes counties and municipalities in Maryland to establish local suicide fatality review teams, referred to as "local teams," which are multidisciplinary and multiagency groups. These local teams will coordinate with existing local child fatality review teams and the State Suicide Fatality Review Committee, and their primary purpose is to prevent suicide deaths by reviewing suicide deaths, identifying contributing factors, promoting coordination among relevant entities, and developing recommendations. The bill outlines the composition of these teams, which should include representatives from various sectors such as health, social services, education, law enforcement, and behavioral health professionals, and clarifies that these local teams operate under the authority of the State Team and must adhere to state and national standards. Importantly, information acquired by a local team is considered confidential and exempt from public disclosure under the Maryland Public Information Act, and team members are granted immunity from liability for their participation. The bill also specifies that meetings of local teams are generally closed to the public when discussing individual cases to protect privacy, but open when not discussing specific cases, with strict limitations on what information can be disclosed in public sessions.