Child Death Review
Child Death Review Teams
In Wisconsin, child death review (CDR) teams primarily review deaths of infants and children, ages 0 to 18, which are reportable to the medical examiner or coroner. The purpose of CDR is to better understand the risk factors and circumstances surrounding a child’s death and to develop policy and program recommendations to prevent future deaths.
Keeping Kids Alive Guidebook
Learn best practices for setting up a death review team, conducting effective reviews, as well as entering and analyzing data.
Child Death Review Report Form
Use this case report form to enter data into the National Fatality Review Case Reporting System.
Map of Wisconsin CDR Teams
View CDR team locations and Alliance support staff.
Team Coordinator Resources
These resources will be useful for local child death review team coordinators.
CDR Case Confidentiality Form Template
This document explains confidentiality expectations for CDR participants. At each meeting, all team members and guests should sign the agreement.
CDR Case List Template
This form can be used to share case information prior to the meeting. Team members can then determine which information from their investigation will help the team identify risk factors and prevention recommendations.
CDR Interagency Agreement Template
This agreement outlines the CDR team’s purpose and participation expectations. It should be signed by agency or department leaders.
Conducting Effective Reviews
This document outlines tips for conducting effective review team meetings.
Conducting Virtual Reviews
This document outlines tips for conducting effective virtual review team meetings.
DHS and WIC Memorandum of Understanding
This MOU promotes the confidential sharing of WIC information with CDR and FIMR review teams and their local health department representatives.
Keeping Kids Alive Overview
Injury prevention and death review is one of the six health initiatives at Children’s Health Alliance of Wisconsin. This document outlines our programs and resources, including Keeping Kids Alive and Sleep Baby Safe.
Prevention Tracking Template
CDR teams can use this document to keep track of prevention recommendations. It is meant to be a working document; information can be added as more discussion and progress unfolds.
Sample Meeting Notice
Local teams can utilize this template if they are required to follow the open meetings law.
Data Entry Resources
These resources will be useful for team members that enter case information.
Case Report by Agency Version 6
This document matches questions from the case report to the agency most likely to have the information. Share this document with your team members to help them prepare for the review.
Creating Cases from Vital Record Import
Creating new cases from linked birth and death records can save time when completing a case report. Learn how to create cases using the case import function.
Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Investigation Reporting Form (SUIDIRF)
This form is used by medical examiners and coroners to standardize data collection for SUIDs and improve classification of sleep-related infant deaths.
SUID Case Registry Overview
Wisconsin participates in the Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Case Registry through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Learn more about the Registry.
SUID Priority Variables
This document lists the case report questions that are highest priority for all infant deaths that are included in the Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Case Registry.
Self-Care Resources
These resources will be useful for team coordinators and members to help with self-care.
Breathing Script
Follow this breathing script as a way to practice self-care before or after your CDR meeting.
Grounding Script
Follow this grounding script as a way to practice self-care before a CDR meeting.
Visualization Script
Follow this visualization script as a way to help minds cope with the details of cases after your CDR meeting.
Child Death Review Video Series
The death of a child is a tragedy that should invoke a community response. In most child deaths, the circumstances are multidimensional and responsibility does not rest in any one place. This video series was created to showcase the need for CDR and assist communities in starting the CDR process.
Part 1: What is CDR?
Part 2: Starting a CDR Team
Part 3: CDR & Data
SUID Case Registry
The Alliance is the Wisconsin grantee for the Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) Case Registry. A SUID is defined as the sudden and unexpected death of a baby less than 1 year old, that does not seem to have a specific cause before investigation. The SUID Case Registry works to to improve the quality of SUID investigations by gathering population-based data on the risk factors and circumstances leading to these deaths.
SDY Case Registry
The Alliance is the Wisconsin grantee for the Sudden Death in the Young (SDY) Case Registry, a national program that works to understand and prevent the causes of sudden death in infants and children up to age 20. We identify SDY cases in Wisconsin and work with families to obtain blood or tissue samples for further research.
Contact Our Staff
Karen Nash, MBA
Program Leader
(414) 337-4567
knash@childrenswi.org
Natasha Horst, MPH
Data Program Manager
(414) 337-4568
nhorst@childrenswi.org
Joanna O’Donnell, GC-C
Program Manager
(414) 337-4571
jodonnell@childrenswi.org
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Quarterly local, state and national news on childhood injury and prevention.
Keeping Kids Alive in Wisconsin is funded in part by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Public, MCH Title V Services Block grant through the Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services.
