Funding
Counties in the top quartile for Social Vulnerability (based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry Social Vulnerability Index) will receive $1,000 in base funding.
Counties in all other SVI quartiles receive $400 in base funding.
The remaining $134,000 will be allocated across the counties based on their proportion of statewide child deaths occurring in the previous five-year period.
This funding formula was developed collaboratively with the North Carolina Association of Local Health Directors. Funds are distributed via Agreement Addendum 701 to Local Health Departments.
The Agreement Addendum 701 provides funding for the Local Health Department to prepare and begin using the National Fatality Review-Case Reporting System (NFR-CRS). Funds were appropriated by the NC General Assembly to support implementation of the changes authorized by NCSL 2023-134 to restructure child death reviews by Local Teams and to offset the costs associated with Local Team participation in the NFR-CRS.
Funding provided through Agreement Addendum 352 can continue to be used for:
- Programming
- Hiring of staff to support the CFPT (future Local Team)
- Safety equipment/prevention efforts
- Child fatality trainings
Team Operation
As of July 1, 2025, all teams will operate as a single combined team. The new legislation combines the current CCPT and CFPT configuration as of July 2025, and these terms will no longer be used. The combined team will be referred to as the ‘Local Team.’ Your Board of County Commissioners can choose to remain a single county team (as opposed to a multi-county team).
Counties can choose to partner with one or more counties to form a multi-county team if approved by each county’s Board of County Commissioners. The new legislation directs the Board of County Commissioners to consult with their Department of Public Health Director and Department of Social Services Director to get their input and recommendation to help the Board of County Commissioners make this decision.
A multi-county approach may benefit counties with low number of child fatalities each year, minimal resources, or established heath districts. However, there are likely challenges (e.g., allocation of resources, membership, travel / meeting logistics) that would need to be addressed with a multi-county approach. Counties may decide in the future to combine into a multi-county team.
Each county’s local board of county commissioners shall evaluate and determine whether the county will have its own Local Team or be part of a multicounty team. This determination, in consultation with the director of the local health department and the director of the local department of social services, may include a formal process for engagement and decision making, such as a vote. It is, ultimately, a local decision as to what is done to evaluate and come to a decision.
Board of County Commissioner Board Action Template (PDF) for single/multicounty determination