State Spotlight - Maine

Last updated:  January 2010

Kimberly M. Day
Child Welfare Coordinator
School of Social Work, RM 112
5770 Social Work Building
Orono, ME 04469-5770
Phone:  (207) 581-3586
Fax:  (207) 351-2396
Email:  Kimberly_Day@umit.maine.edu

Dr. Steve Meister
Chair, Child Death and Serious Injury Review Panel

Tools

Reports

Mortality Statistics

Program Description

Administration
The Maine Department of Human Services Child Death and Serious Injury Review Panel was established by statute (Title 22, section 4004)  in 1992.  The panel is housed out of the DHS Bureau of Child and Family Services.  The is one staff member for the Panel that is funded by DHS child abuse and neglect grant monies. 

Teams
Maine has a state level review system.  Maine joined other New England states to form a consortium of Northern New England child fatality review teams.  Additionally,  the Panel, along with the Child Abuse Action Network, serves as a Citizen's Review Panel.

State Team Chairperson:  Dr. Karen Mosher
The panel consists of the following members:  the Chief Medical Examiner, a pediatrician, a public health nurse, forensic and community mental health clinicians, law enforcement officers, departmental child welfare staff, district attorneys and criminal or civil assistant attorneys general. 

Cases are identified for review from a variety of sources.  Some come from public health nursing, social services, law enforcement and sometimes psychologists.

The Panel meets every month for approximately three hours.  All panel members are given the time to attend the review meetings by their public or private sector employers.  Panel members volunteer their time to read the voluminous case record materials before each case review. 

Reviews
The panel reviews cases of suspected child abuse and neglect as well as adolescent suicides.  Cases for review are identified by pediatricians and Children's Protective Services.  The Panel can subpoena records for the review process.  Team information is not subject to discovery.  Deaths to children less than 18 years old are reviewed.

Purpose
The purpose of the panel is to recommend to state and local agencies methods of improving the child protection system, including modifications of statutes, rules, policies and procedures. 

Data
Standardized data collection forms collection forms are completed on each case reviewed.  This is not required by statute.  Data is stored on disc.  The panel does have access to state vital statistics.  The staff person to the panel utilizes DHS Vital Records to collect/verify family vital records information on each case reviewed.

Annual Report
Aggregate data collected by the panel is utilized in periodic public reports published by DHS.  Additionally, each case review results in a confidential Executive Summary for the DHS commissioner.  This summary contains findings and recommendations. 

Prevention Initiatives
The panel findings have motivated prevention activities in the state including the "Never Shake a Baby" public awareness campaign.  A future public service campaign is likely to focus on safe sleeping practices including the potential hazards of adults co-sleeping with infants.  Additionally, the Panel has worked to develop scene investigation protocols with the Medical Examiner, State Police and Child Welfare.

Protocols
Maine's Child Death and Serious Injury Review Panel has meeting and confidentiality protocols in place.

Training
Training is not offered.  However, panel members have said one of the important aspects of each review is the "seminar" nature of information/collaboration among the panel members, who have wide-ranging areas of expertise, which they bring to each case review's discussion.  Individual panel members also provide training on child welfare related issues in various statewide and national venues.