(a) In addition to any duties set forth elsewhere, the Council shall, by examining the policies and procedures of State and local agencies and specific cases that the Council considers necessary to perform its duties under this section, evaluate the extent to which State and local agencies are effectively discharging their child protection responsibilities in accordance with: (1) the State plan under 42 U.S.C. § 5106a(b);(2) the child protection standards set forth in 42 U.S.C. § 5106a(b); and(3) any other criteria that the Council considers important to ensure the protection of children, including: (i) a review of the extent to which the State child protective services system is coordinated with the foster care and adoption program established under Part E of Title IV of the Social Security Act; and(ii) a review of child fatalities and near fatalities.(b) The Council may request that a local citizens review panel established under § 5-539.2 of this title conduct a review under this section and report its findings to the Council.(c) The Council shall coordinate its activities under this section with the State Citizens Review Board for Children, local citizens review panels, the child fatality review teams, and the Child Abuse Medical Providers (Maryland CHAMP) Initiative in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort.(d) The chairperson of the Council may designate members of the Children's Justice Act Committee as special members of the Council for the purpose of carrying out the duties set forth in this section.Amended by 2024 Md. Laws, Ch. 766,Sec. 1, eff. 10/1/2024.Amended by 2024 Md. Laws, Ch. 765,Sec. 1, eff. 10/1/2024.