HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 03-18-2025; 12-1 - Information Item - Memorandum - 2024 Annual Report of the Community Child Protection Team (CCPT) 1
MEMORANDUM
TO: Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Lindsey Shewmaker, Social Services Director
Brittany Mann, Social Work Program Manager
DATE: March 18, 2025
SUBJECT: 2024 Annual Report of the Community Child Protection Team (CCPT)
Per North Carolina General Statute 7B-1406, each local Community Child Protection Team
(CCPT) should submit an annual report to the Board of County Commissioners. This report
outlines the activity of the team for 2024. The 2024 Orange County Community Child Protection
Team report is attached.
2
Orange County
Community Child Protection Team
2024 Annual Report
Overview
The 1991 General Statute 7-B-Article 14 of the North Carolina Juvenile Code established a Community Child
Protection Team (CCPT) in every county in North Carolina to review active cases as selected by the team in
which abuse, neglect or dependency is found. Each local team consists of representatives of public and
nonpublic agencies in the community such as law enforcement, Guardian Ad Litem, health departments,
among others that provide services to children and their families.
The case reviews are to ensure that families have resources available to them, to enhance their ability to
provide safe environments for their children, to inform the community regarding child protection issues that
impact the ability of families to protect their children, to facilitate collaboration of team and community
resources in order to protect vulnerable children, and to make recommendations for legislative changes.
Activities and Findings
The CCPT reviewed the cases of ten families with 23 children who were recently or actively involved with Child
Protective Services (CPS). These reviews occurred over five separate meetings. The team assisted in
identifying resources for children. Recommendations were made regarding follow-up.
a. Substance abuse was an issue for five families.
b. Domestic violence was an issue for five families.
c. Two families involved near fatality.
d. One family involved a fatality.
Actions and Accomplishments
• Met five times in 2024 to review child protection and child fatality cases. In depth discussion with
identification of needs and subsequent recommendations occurred.
• Discussed the importance of safe sleep for infants and ensuring that all community members are
educated on the risks of unsafe sleeping arrangements and co-sleeping with infants.
• Continued to discuss the prevalence of fentanyl in the community and the impact of exposure for small
children. Naloxone and fentanyl test strips are still available to staff at the Department of Social
Services.
• Provided child abuse prevention materials, parenting resources, medication lockboxes, and gunlocks to
families at community events.
Recommendations
1. Enhance and expand treatment and placement options for youth with complex behavioral health,
substance use, and mental health needs.
2. Increase inpatient substance abuse/mental health treatment facilities for parents and children to be co-
located.
3. Provide widespread community education about preventable child death and near fatalities due to drug
exposure, unsafe sleeping arrangements for infants, and unsecured firearms.