P.R. Laws tit. 8, § 444f
The Multi-Sector Coordinating Board created hereby shall be charged with coordinating, supporting, and promoting collaboration efforts between government agencies and non-government organizations to guarantee the most effective and efficient attention to cases of abuse and/or institutional abuse, neglect and/or institutional neglect.
The Board shall be chaired by the Secretary of the Department of the Family and shall include the Secretaries of each of the agencies to which § 444c of this title assigns responsibilities, or representatives with decision-making powers; the administrator of the Administration for Families and Children or his or her representative; a representative of the College of Social Workers; and three (3) representatives of nongovernmental organizations with a history of work in providing care, shelter, counseling, treatment, or other services for populations at risk, or for surviving victims of child abuse and their families. The members of the Board who represent nongovernmental organizations shall be appointed by the Secretary for three (3) year terms.
The Board shall have the following obligations:
(a) To promote compliance with the obligations imposed on the agencies of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for the enforcement of this chapter.
(b) To facilitate the approval and fulfillment of interagency cooperation agreements and agreements with other nongovernmental organizations to facilitate an integrated effort to prevent child abuse and provide services for the comprehensive wellbeing and protection of minors, in accordance with the public policy stated herein.
(c) To serve as a forum for harmonizing the procedures, visions, practices, and perspectives adopted by the various government agencies to attend to and intervene in cases of abuse, and/or institutional abuse, neglect, and/or institutional neglect.
(d) To promote interdisciplinary and interagency training of personnel in each of the government agencies that attend to and intervene in cases of abuse, and/or institutional abuse, neglect, and/or institutional neglect.
(e) To facilitate communication and participation of nongovernmental, community, service, and professional organizations with scientific, technical, or specialized knowledge and training in the prevention, investigation, identification, counseling, treatment, or other services aimed at populations at risk or the surviving victims of abuse, and/or institutional abuse, neglect, and/or institutional neglect.
The Secretary shall establish through regulations the functions of the Board to guarantee its proper functioning, as well as the regions where they shall be established. Likewise, the provisions of this chapter regarding confidentiality shall extend to the work performed by this Board and each of its members.
History —Aug. 1, 2003, No. 177, § 9; Sept. 29, 2004, No. 510, § 3.