AR SB1038

Department of Human Services must post notices on its website within 72 hours of receiving reports of child fatalities or near fatalities to the Child Abuse Hotline, including child's age, race, gender, date of incident, allegations, county, placement type, alleged offender relationship, investigating agency, legal actions, and services provided.

Child fatality notices must include the child's name, but notices shall not disclose information about siblings or attorney-client communications.

Department may withhold website notices if law enforcement is actively investigating and reasonably believes the investigation will result in arrest.

Upon public request, the department must release information about maltreatment reports involving children in department custody and deaths of children in out-of-home placements, with similar restrictions on sibling information and attorney-client communications.

Quarterly and annual performance reports by the Division of Children and Family Services must include data on reported child fatalities and near fatalities, maltreatment reports on foster children, and deaths of children in out-of-home placements using the same disclosure categories.