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SB 471

CHILDREN: Establishes the Child Welfare Death Review Panel. (1/1/27) (OR NO IMPACT See Note)

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Valarie Hodges

Creates a DCFS-led Child Welfare Death Review Panel to review fatalities of children in DCFS custody/care, identify causes, and recommend changes to reduce preventable deaths.

Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.
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Bill Summary · SB 471

Summary: SB 471 (Louisiana, 2026) – Child Welfare Death Review Panel

Proposed law addendum: Establishes the Louisiana Child Welfare Death Review Panel within the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Effective date: January 1, 2027.

1) Purpose and Intent

  • Create a formal, cross-agency mechanism to review fatalities and unexpected deaths of children under DCFS custody or care.
  • Expand beyond the current framework, which places a Child Death Review Panel under the Department of Health (focused on children under 15) to a new panel within DCFS with a broader scope (under 18) and in the custody/care of the Department.

Key aims:
- Identify causes and contributing factors of child fatalities and unexpected deaths.
- Collect and analyze data from investigations and other sources to identify patterns, systemic problems, and potential service delivery gaps.
- Recommend changes to policy, procedures, and practices to reduce preventable deaths and improve child welfare outcomes.

2) Key Provisions and Changes

  • New Statutory Creation: Adds a new statute, R.S. 46:261, establishing the Louisiana Child Welfare Death Review Panel (the “review panel”) within DCFS.
  • Panel Composition (sixteen members): The panel shall include:
    • DCFS Secretary or designee
    • Assistant Secretary of Child Welfare (DCFS) or designee
    • DCFS Chief Medical Director
    • Superintendent (or designee) of the Office of State Police
    • President of the Louisiana Senate or designee
    • Speaker of the House or designee
    • Assistant Secretary of the Office of Behavioral Health (Louisiana Department of Health) or designee
    • Assistant Secretary of the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (Louisiana Department of Health) or designee
    • A forensic pathologist (American Board of Pathology certified, licensed in-state) appointed by the panel chair
    • A pediatric pathologist appointed by the Louisiana Pathology Society
    • A coroner appointed by the Louisiana Coroner’s Association
    • Two gubernatorial appointees (3-year terms), including:
    • A health professional with expertise in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (appointed from a list provided by the Louisiana State Medical Society)
    • A pediatrician with experience diagnosing/treating child abuse and neglect (appointed from a list provided by the state chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics)
    • The State Superintendent of Education or designee
    • The Director of the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (Louisiana Department of Health) or designee
    • The State Child Ombudsman or designee

  • Duties of the Panel:

    • Review child fatalities and unexpected deaths of children in DCFS custody or care
    • Obtain relevant data/records from providers (including healthcare providers) and other sources
    • Identify patterns and systemic problems to determine necessary changes in service delivery
    • Potentially analyze data from state systems to reduce incidence of injury and death among children

  • Access to Information and Confidentiality:

    • The panel is authorized to access medical and vital records in the custody of physicians, hospitals, clinics, healthcare providers, the Office of Public Health, and other related information needed to perform its duties
    • The panel can access information related to completed investigations of child fatalities and unexpected deaths in DCFS custody/care and in custody of law enforcement
    • All records and information obtained by the panel must be confidential and not subject to subpoena, disclosure, or use as evidence in civil/criminal/administrative proceedings
    • Furnishing confidential information to the panel by any party is allowed and shall not create liability, provided parties act in good faith

  • Protection of Participants: Access to information under this act does not violate privileges or confidentiality, and does not expose contributing parties to liability when acting in good faith

3) Who is Affected

  • Children: Those who die or experience unexpected deaths while in the custody or care of the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and their families.
  • DCFS and Related Agencies: DCFS, the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Behavioral Health, Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities, the Office of State Police, the Department of Education, and other public agencies participating in the review process.
  • Professionals and Stakeholders: Medical examiners, forensic pathologists, pediatric pathologists, coroners, health professionals (including SIDS experts and pediatricians with abuse/neglect expertise), state lawmakers, and the State Ombudsman.
  • Public and Policymakers: Data collected and analyzed by the panel may inform policy decisions, program improvements, and resource allocation to reduce preventable child fatalities.

4) Procedural and Timeline Details

  • Effective Date: January 1, 2027.
  • Reporting and Data Collection: The panel will obtain data/records from various providers and sources; specifics on reporting timelines are not detailed in the bill, but the panel’s mandate emphasizes ongoing data collection and analysis.
  • Confidentiality and Legal Safeguards: Strong confidentiality protections are embedded to encourage information sharing without fear of disclosure or legal jeopardy; records are not admissible in civil/criminal/administrative proceedings.
  • Appointments: Two governor appointments are for three-year terms, with confirmations by the Senate.

5) Context and Comparison

  • Present law previously established a Child Death Review Panel under the Department of Health to identify causes of death for children under 15 and to investigate unexpected deaths, with the aim of reducing infant/child fatalities.
  • SB 471 shifts the focus to DCFS and expands the scope to include children up to age 18 in DCFS custody/care, creating a separate Child Welfare Death Review Panel with similar investigative and data-collection aims but within a child welfare context.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with current law and draft a one-page briefing for policymakers or stakeholders.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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