G.S. 7B-3100
State law requires the Division of Juvenile Justice of the Department of Public Safety (DJJ) to adopt rules designating local agencies that will be required to share information concerning juveniles who are alleged to be abused, neglected, dependent, delinquent, or undisciplined. The regulation is found in 14B NCAC 11A .0301. See also 14B NCAC 11A .0302 (related regulation).
Designated Agencies (per statute; see regulation for full list)
Agencies that may be designated include:
local mental health facilities,
local health departments,
local social services departments,
local school administrative units,
local law enforcement agencies,
the district attorney’s office,
DJJ,
the Administrative Office of the Court's guardian ad litem program, and
the Section of Community Corrections (pursuant to G.S. 7B-3000(e1) related to individuals who are subject to probation supervision for acts committed while under the age of 25).
Information Sharing Required
A designated agency must share, upon request of another designated agency, information that is in the agency’s possession that is relevant to:
any assessment of a report of child abuse, neglect, or dependency;
provision or arrangement of protective services in a child abuse, neglect, or dependency case; or
any case in which a petition is filed alleging that a juvenile is abused, neglected, dependent, delinquent, or undisciplined.
The information sharing requirement remains in place until either the protective services cases is closed by DSS or if the child is no longer subject to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
Additional Provisions
Information shared among agencies is confidential and not subject to public inspection.
Information shared may be used only for the protection of the juvenile and others or to improve the educational opportunities of the juvenile (must be released consistent with FERPA, 20 U.S.C. 1232g; 34 C.F.R. 99.31).
While the district attorney is listed among the agencies that are required to share, the statute later explains that it does not require the release or disclosure of information in the possession of a district attorney.