Bill > H1221

This bill mandates a statewide team of child protection investigators to respond within 24 hours to the death or disappearance of a child in the care of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) or a community-based care lead agency, assisting law enforcement in investigations. It also requires DCF to publicly disclose basic facts about all child fatalities and near-fatalities resulting from abuse or neglect on its website, including details like the child's age, the alleged cause of death or near-fatality, and the relationship of any alleged offender, while protecting certain sensitive information like siblings' details or information that could jeopardize a criminal investigation. Furthermore, the bill requires community-based care lead agencies to submit annual reports detailing any damage claims related to children injured while in their care or custody, including the status and resolution of these claims.