In a significant move to bolster the safety and welfare of children, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has launched three new Citizen Review Panels. These panels aim to assess child welfare services and offer recommendations for systemic improvements across the state. Those interested in participating can apply via the NCDHHS Citizen Review Panels website, with applications remaining open until November 15, 2025.
These panels are a requirement of the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). Their role will involve analyzing data, trends, policies, and procedures to provide the state with recommendations on improving child protection and family support within the child welfare system. This initiative is part of NCDHHS’s broader commitment to enhancing child welfare practices, including permanency placement, kinship, foster care, and health services.
NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai emphasized the importance of the panels, stating, “We are committed to protecting the health and well-being of all children in North Carolina. We owe it to every child and family in North Carolina to consistently examine and strengthen the systems that are designed to keep them safe.” These panels underscore the department’s dedication to transparency, accountability, and community collaboration in transforming child welfare in the state.
Each Citizen Review Panel will be made up of 20 volunteer members, bringing together a diverse range of expertise. This includes individuals with firsthand experience in the child welfare system, child health and safety experts, local service providers, and advocates. Panels will focus on specific issues such as teen suicide, unsafe sleeping conditions, or domestic violence, with the flexibility to shift focus annually based on emerging needs and trends in the state.
Over the next three years, Health Management Associates (HMA) will support the Citizen Review Panel process. HMA will notify successful applicants in November. Further details about membership are available on the NCDHHS Citizen Review Panels website.
The panels will play a pivotal role in assessing the department’s effectiveness in fulfilling its child protection responsibilities within the state-supervised, county-administered system. This could include reviewing child fatality data and recommending long-term improvements. Strengthening child welfare services is central to NCDHHS’s mission of providing consistent, high-quality services and a safe, nurturing environment for every child in the system.
For more detailed information on the department’s efforts to overhaul the child welfare system, visit Transforming Child Welfare in North Carolina: A Unified Vision for Children and Families.
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