CHILD PROTECTION CITIZEN REVIEW PANELS

Prevent Child Abuse America can provide those interestedwith a copy of our Citizen Review Panels for the Child Protective Services System: Guidelines and Protocols. This protocol was created to assist those involved in the design and implementation of citizen review panels - an eligibility requirement for the Child Abuse and Neglect State Grant Program (Basic State Grant), as outlined in the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) 1996 amendments.

Citizen Review Panels for the Child Protective Services System: Guidelines and Protocols was written by the Child and Family Policy Center in conjunction with eight Prevent Child Abuse America Chapters. The first section provides general guidelines to help plan for and structure citizen review panels. The second section helps define the scope and content for their review.

Prevent Child Abuse America recognizes the challenge states are facing as they create these panels, which is why we have committed our resources to writing these guidelines. We hope to ensure that citizen review panels are both effective and worthwhile because we believe that these panels - if done in a thoughtful and coordinated fashion - can be an invaluable tool for improving the child protective services (CPS) system.

Many of the chapters in Prevent Child Abuse America's Chapter Network are interested in helping states plan for and implement citizen review panels. We encourage you to call our chapters for assistance. For those states without a Prevent Child Abuse America Chapter, please call the national office directly.

As you refer to the guide, you will notice that it covers a full range of issues that citizen review panels must address. It is unlikely that these panels will be able to do everything overnight. Successful implementation will entail an inclusive planning process that builds ownership and commitment. The guide identifies many possible specific roles that panels might assume; you will have to determine which make the most sense as starting points.

Prevent Child Abuse America believes that citizen review panels should include the following core elements: consumer representation; support staff; easy access to information; assurance of confidentiality; additional funding options; training; and standard data collection across the states.

Publication and distribution of the guide has been made possible by the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation, though the views expressed therein are those of the authors only.

We hope that you will find the guide helpful in your efforts to establish citizen review panels. To order copies of the guide (for a suggested donation of $10.00 per copy), please contact Michelle Rieff on (312) 663-3520 x114, or [email protected]