Gov. Steve Beshear issued an Executive Order Monday to establish the Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel. Kentucky's Chief Executive called child abuse and neglect a 'crisis' and said the death or near death of a child due to abuse or neglect is “unacceptable but remains a tragic occurrence in Kentucky.”

He said the perspectives of social services, medical, legal, law enforcement and other professionals can assist in conducting a comprehenisve review of the death or near death of children. “An independent review of the circumstances surrounding a child abuse or neglect fatality or near fatality may lead to increased knowledge about the risk factors… and to improvements in the state's response to child abuse and neglect.”

The newly created panel will conduct comprehensive reviews of child fatalities and near fatalities deermined to be the result of child abuse or neglect. The panel will be attached to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for staff and administrative purposes.

The panel will meet quarterly to review records, files and other information relating to child fatalities or near fatalities. The group will recommend improvements to the Cabinet for Health and Family Serivces, the Department for Community Based Services, and any other public or private emtitty for use relating to policy, practice, training or other protections for children.

The panel is to be formed as possible.

Child Fatality Review Panel Members

The independent and multi-disciplinary Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Panel will conduct comprehensive reviews of child fatalities and near fatalities that are determined to be the result of child abuse or neglect.

The panel will include 17 members, representing a wide range of experts and stakeholders including those of law enforcement and social services, and representatives of all three branches of state government, including:

· The co-chairs of the Interim Joint Committee on Health and Welfare Committee of the Kentucky General Assembly, who will serve as an ex officio non-voting members;

· The commissioner of the Department for Community Based Services, who will serve as an ex officio non-voting member;

· A judge participating in the Model Court Program to be appointed by the Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court, who will serve as an ex officio non-voting member;

· A pediatrician from the University of Kentucky's Department of Pediatrics' Medical Home Clinic that provides health care services to children served by the Commission on Children with Special Health Care Needs to be selected by the chair of the Board of Commissioners of the Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs;

· A board-certified child abuse pediatrician from the University of Louisville's Forensic Medicine program to be selected by Dean of the University of Louisville School of Medicine;

• The State Medical Examiner or designee;

· A court-appointed special advocate (CASA) program director to be selected by the Attorney General from a list of three names provided by the Kentucky CASA Association;

· A peace officer with experience investigating child abuse and neglect fatalities and near fatalities to be selected by the Attorney General from a list of three names provided by the Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police;

· A representative from Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky Inc. to be selected by the chair of the board of Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky;

· A practicing local prosecutor to be appointed by the Attorney General;

· The executive director of the Kentucky Domestic Violence Association;

· The chair of the State Child Fatality Review Team;

· A practicing social work clinician to be selected by the Attorney General from a list of three names provided by the Board of Social Work;

· A practicing addiction counselor to be selected by the Attorney General from a list of three names submitted by the Kentucky Association of Addiction Professionals;

· A representative from the Family Resource and Youth Service Centers to be selected by the Attorney General from a list of three names submitted by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services; and

· An at-large representative selected by the Attorney General. This member will also serve as chair.

Members of the panel will be appointed for an initial term of two years and vacancies will be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.