Section 13-1208 - Local team - Purpose; duties(a) The purpose of a local team is to prevent maternal deaths by: (1) Promoting cooperation and coordination among agencies involved in preventing and responding to maternal deaths or in providing services to surviving family members;(2) Developing an understanding of the causes and incidence of maternal deaths in the county;(3) Developing plans for and recommending changes within the community, local institutions, and agencies the members represent to prevent maternal deaths; and(4) Advising the Maternal Mortality Review Program on changes to law, policy, or practice to prevent maternal deaths.(b) To achieve its purpose, a local team shall:(1) In consultation with the Maternal Mortality Review Program, establish and implement a protocol for the local team;(2) Meet at least annually to review the status of maternal fatality cases, recommend actions to improve coordination of services in the community, and recommend actions within local institutions and member agencies to prevent maternal deaths;(3) Enter into a data use agreement with the Department for the receipt of information from the Maternal Mortality Review Program necessary to carry out the local team's purpose and duties; and(4) Provide reports to the Maternal Mortality Review Program, including: (i) Information on, and local team discussions related to, individual cases;(ii) Any racial disparities observed during case review;(iii) Steps taken to improve coordination of services and investigations;(iv) Steps taken to implement changes recommended by the local team within member agencies; and(v) Recommendations on necessary changes to State and local law, policy, and practice to prevent maternal deaths.Added by 2019 Md. Laws, Ch. 448,Sec. 2, eff. 10/1/2019.