Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4004, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2001, c. 11, §4, is further amended to read:

1. General. The department may take appropriate action, consistent with available funding, that will help prevent child abuse and neglect and achieve the goals of section 4003 and subchapter XI-A section 1704, including:

A. Developing and providing services which that:

(1) Support and reinforce parental care of children;

(2) Supplement that care; and

(3) When necessary, substitute for parental care of children;

B. Encouraging the voluntary use of these and other services by families and children who may need them;

C. Cooperating and coordinating with other agencies, facilities or persons providing related services to families and children;

D. Establishing and maintaining a Child Protective Services Contingency Fund to provide temporary assistance to families to help them provide proper care for their children; and

E. Establishing a child death and serious injury review panel for reviewing deaths and serious injuries to children. The panel consists of the following members: the Chief Medical Examiner, a pediatrician, a public health nurse, forensic and community mental health clinicians, law enforcement officers, departmental child welfare staff, district attorneys and criminal or civil assistant attorneys general.

The purpose of the panel is to recommend to state and local agencies methods of improving the child protection system, including modifications of statutes, rules, policies and procedures.

Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §4004, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 1991, c. 824, Pt. A, §45, is further amended to read:

B. Promptly investigate all abuse and neglect cases coming to its attention or in the case of out-of-home abuse and