(a) The Department of Children and Family Services shall, from funds appropriated by the General Assembly to the Department for this purpose, or from funds that may otherwise be provided for this purpose from other public or private sources, establish a Child Death Investigation Task Force to operate in the Southern Region of the State and in other regions at the discretion of the Director of the Department. The Child Death Investigation Task Force shall develop and implement a plan for the investigation of sudden, unexpected, or unexplained child fatalities or near fatalities of children under 18 years of age occurring within that region, as may be further defined in Department rule and procedure. The plan must include provisions for local or State law enforcement agencies, the Department, hospitals, and coroners to promptly notify the Task Force of a sudden, unexpected, or unexplained child fatality or near fatality of a child, and for the Task Force to review and investigate the notification. The investigation shall include coordination among members of a multidisciplinary team, including local or State law enforcement agencies, the Department, hospitals, coroners, the appropriate State’s Attorney’s Office, and the appropriate children’s advocacy center. The plan must also include provisions for training members of each multidisciplinary team on the various components of the investigation of fatalities or near fatalities of children. The Task Force shall maintain case tracking and related case information for activations. Information shall be shared and reviewed by the Task Force’s Board of Directors. The plan must be submitted in writing and approved by the Board of Directors.
     (b) The Child Death Investigation Task Force shall be governed by a Board of Directors composed of, but not limited to, an approved representative from each of the following agencies or groups: the Department of Children and Family Services, the Southern Illinois Police Chiefs’ Association, the Illinois Coroners and Medical Examiners Association, the Illinois State’s Attorneys Association, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, the Illinois State Police, the Child Advocacy Centers of Illinois, and the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Standards Board. The Board of Directors shall have the authority to organize itself and adopt bylaws and to appoint, assign, and elect members and leaders, and shall determine the voting rights of its members. The Board of Directors shall determine all major policies and establish all necessary principles and procedures of the Task Force. The Board of Directors shall meet 4 times a year or as called for in the bylaws of the organization.
     (c) The State shall indemnify and hold harmless members of the Child Death Investigation Task Force and the Board of Directors for all their acts, omissions, decisions, or other conduct arising out of the scope of their service on the Task Force or Board, except those involving willful or wanton misconduct. The method of providing indemnification shall be as provided in the State Employee Indemnification Act.