Citizen Review Panel Membership

CRP Membership Requirements and Categories

Membership for each of the three CRP regions will consist of community members and professionals who will complete an application and selection process that will be administered by Health Management Associates (HMA). Each region will have no more than 20 members. Members will serve a four-year term and will not be initially staggered. Membership categories have been created to ensure that each team has proper representation and various thought leadership. 

These categories include: 

  • Families (including foster families) and adults (age 18 and above) with current/former lived experience of the child welfare system
  • County DSS Director/Assistant Director/Child Welfare Director, Administrator, Manager, or Supervisor
  • Local Court Officials/DA’s Office/Attorneys/GAL Coordinator or designee
  • Medical Providers (Hospitals, local healthcare providers, Child Advocacy Centers, LME/MCO and/or mental health LME/MCO or providers, Medical examiners, EMS, etc.)
  • Tribal Nations Representatives
  • Examples of At Large members include:
    • Community advocates
    • County DSS/HS Board members
    • Law enforcement
    • School Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent/Student Services Director
    • Public Health Director/Assistant Director/Child Fatality Lead
    • University Researchers
    • Communities of faith

Only individuals with lived experience will be provided with a stipend for participation and for travel to in-person meetings ($75 per virtual meeting and $200 per in-person meeting).

Membership Restrictions

Applicants will be asked to confirm the following eligibility criteria as part of the application submission:

  • Must live in North Carolina
  • Individuals must not be a full-time employee, permanent of NC DSS or be in a decision-making role receiving CRP recommendations
  • Individuals with lived child welfare experience must meet the following criteria:
    • Have no substantiation of abuse or neglect within the past five years from the date of application and successfully resolved the issue that led to CPS case involvement.
    • Have no current open child protective services within the last three months from the date of application.
    • Foster parents must have a current foster care license in good standing with NC DSS.
    • Adoptive parents must have adopted a child from the North Carolina foster care system within the previous five years.
  • Individuals must not be related to other members within the same CRP region.
  • NC DSS recognizes that applicants may have a history of criminal charges as defined in G.S. 143B-1209.15. A drug-related offense would not disqualify a member from serving if it was five years or more from the time of application. However, the following guidelines must be met as they pertain to criminal histories:
    • NC DSS cannot accept applications from individuals who have ever been convicted of a felony (or have pending criminal charges) for:
      • Child abuse or neglect
      • Domestic abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation
      • Have received written notice that a county Department of Social Services has determined you are a “responsible individual”
      • A crime against a child or children (including child sexual abuse materials, kidnapping, human trafficking, battery, etc.)
      • A crime involving violence, including rape, physical or sexual assault, or homicide (both first and second degree), manslaughter, armed robbery, drug trafficking, promoting prostitution or extortion, etc.)

CRP Selection Process

Selection criteria for citizen review panels.

Steps in the image above include:

  1. NC DSS will post the application link
  2. Applicant completes/submits online application
  3. Applicant receives acknowledgment of receipt
  4. Application review
  5. Applicant is cleared, meeting minimum requirements
  6. Applicant screening and background checks
  7. Decision communicated to applicant via email or phone
  8. Orientation scheduled
  9. Attend ongoing meetings

Membership Expectations

  • Members are considered volunteers and will represent their communities within their region, but they shall not speak “on behalf” of the CRP and/or NC DSS
  • Commit to serving a 4-year term
  • Can obtain reliable transportation to and from in-person CRP meetings
  • Have access to a computer and a stable internet for online meetings
  • Be on camera for online meetings
  • Have the ability to effectively navigate electronic calendar appointments and receive electronic materials
  • Participate in one full-day, in-person meeting annually and at least 75% of all other meetings, either virtually or in-person, as required
  • Complete orientation and training
  • Actively participate in panel (review required documents/data, advise on agenda items, provide feedback on meeting minutes, examine policies and procedures, and identify trends and concerns)
  • Be solution-focused and exhibit a collaborative spirit to support system improvement efforts
  • Notify organizers of inability to attend meetings within 72 hours or more to provide proper notice
  • Notify NC DSS if criminally charged for the areas outlined in membership requirements
  • Notify NC DSS if a CPS report is made on themselves or someone in their household

Apply for a Citizen Review Panel 

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