A critical new measure aimed at protecting North Carolina's most vulnerable children is moving forward in Raleigh.
Representative Carla Cunningham has introduced the Dominique Moody Safety Act, a bipartisan bill named in memory of a six-year-old Charlotte girl whose tragic death exposed significant gaps in the state's child welfare system.
The legislation would establish a state-level child welfare escalation team to provide an independent layer of review for high-risk cases. This specialized team would be triggered in situations involving extensive welfare history—specifically when a family has three or more reports within a single year or a recurring pattern of neglect.
In addition to creating these regional oversight teams, the bill provides funding for advanced training for social workers to better recognize chronic patterns of abuse before they escalate.
Supporters say the bill shifts the final word on complex cases from the county level to a specialized state team, ensuring no child’s history of struggle goes unnoticed.
