Prevention
Injury Prevention Resources
Bystander CPR
We all know CPR can save lives – but we may not know the proper steps to perform CPR in the case of an emergency. Watch this educational video explaining the steps of how to give hands-only CPR.
Local Prevention Spotlight
Waupaca County wrong-way driving prevention
In response to concerns over wrong-way drivers, the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) launched several efforts to prevent wrong-way driving incidents and crashes. They created a social media campaign, Stay Right at Night. The campaign encourages drivers to use the right lane at night, since most wrong-way crashes happen in the left lane. The team also shared tips on what to do if you encounter a wrong-way driver.
WCSO partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) to improve existing infrastructure and help prevent wrong-way driving before it starts. These efforts include changing the angle of existing signs, adding more “Wrong Way” and “Do Not Enter” signs and using more reflectors to catch drivers’ attention at night.
WCSO and DOT presented at the 2024 Governor’s Highway Safety Conference to advocate for better statewide reporting on wrong-way drivers. Waupaca County hopes these efforts will help reduce wrong-way driving incidents locally and across the state.
Previous Prevention Spotlights
Child Death Review Report
Outagamie County prepared a report that highlights child death review activities from 2020-22. The report explains their mission, identifies stakeholders and summarizes the burden of injury-related fatalities to residents age 18 and younger. Included are the four leading manners of death which are: accident, homicide, suicide and undetermined. It also highlights recommendations that have been considered for prevention.
The report is a call to action to get involved. Review the recommendations and identity how you can help!
Youth suicide prevention presentations
Rock County Public Health formed a community action team to focus on the suicide prevention recommendations coming from Child Death Review (CDR) meetings. Public health offered free trainings to school districts presented by Kevin Polky. The goal of these trainings was to include anyone that interacts with students in the school system (e.g., coaches, food service staff, janitorial staff, teachers and administration).
The presentation discussed how suicide is the second leading cause of death for young adults, and consistently amongst the top three causes of death of youth in Rock County. Young adults are feeling lonelier and more hopeless than ever before. They are most likely to reach out to their peers before they ask for help from the professionals in their life. This is something that we see in most, if not every, Rock County youth suicide case that the team reviews.
Polky’s presentation focuses on how staff can become a light in others’ darkness, or in other words, how they can become a trusted adult for students. Being a trusted adult involves pushing back against the prevalence of young adult suicide, identifying the risk factors and using techniques to create a culture to prevent another suicide.
So far, the presentation was given at Parkview School District, Beloit Memorial School District and Milton School District. We have reached more than 150 school staff members in Rock County. In 2025, we hope to add additional schools to receive this training and offer a student-focused training surrounding youth suicide and how to help peers who express suicidal ideation.
Boating Safety
In May, the Walworth County Child Death Review (CDR) Team, promoted and participated in a boating safety course on Delavan Lake.
These free courses were available to those age 12 and older, and are designed to help boaters learn safety techniques related to navigation, regulations, personal safety, boating use and how to properly use a life jacket.
We appreciate Walworth County and their commitment to water safety and prevention efforts!
National Night Out events
In response to ongoing concerns about child safety and mental health, the Washington Ozaukee child death review team brought prevention education directly to families at this year’s National Night Out events.
The team set up a safe sleep and suicide prevention trailer across both counties, giving families a chance to learn about child safety and local mental health resources in a welcoming community setting. A pediatric nurse practitioner was on hand to answer questions, helping hundreds of families walk away with practical tools they can use at home.
By meeting people where they already gather, the team was able to build awareness and support strategies that keep children safe.
The Waupaca County Fatality Review teams have created and implemented a mental health and substance use resource guide in their community. This recommendation was created after identifying a need to better capitalize on interactions with individuals when mental health or substance use is recognized as a concern, but is not to the point of a crisis situation. The goal was to proactively get information into the hands of community members, so when they desire to seek help for themselves, a family member or friend, they would have the information needed.
In the first iteration of the project, law enforcement agencies were identified as the primary partner to distribute these guides as they interact with community members in a variety of situations, and desired to help the folks they come across while not being required to be subject matter experts on mental health or substance use resources. In July 2024, a total of 1,000 copies of the guide were distributed to all law enforcement agencies in the county. Officers keep these guides in their squad cars and hand them out to individuals in any instance they deem appropriate. After hearing such positive feedback, a second printing was funded and 1,000 additional copies are being distributed to other community partners including: probation and parole, treatment court, schools, health care partners, treatment providers, social service programs, local non-profits and many more.
To access the digital guide, please visit the Waupaca County Department of Public Health website. For additional questions or comments on the project, please contact Hailey Prosek with the Waupaca County Department of Public Health.
Death Scene Investigation Training
The SUID Case Registry works to improve death scene investigations (DSI) by tracking investigation data from SUIDs. The Alliance holds DSI trainings throughout the state on an annual basis. View our event page for upcoming trainings.
Autopsy Guidelines
This resources outlines the key components that should be included in each death scene investigation.
Death Scene Investigation (DSI) Training Infographic
This infographic highlights key takeaways from the 2025 Wisconsin Child DSI trainings.
Infant Death – Quick Reference Guide
Milwaukee County Medical Examiner Office’s guide outlining questions to ask care providers following an infant death.
Wisconsin Infant Death Investigation Checklist
Wisconsin Department of Justice’s guide outlining the investigation protocol following an infant death.
Contact Our Staff
Karen Nash, MBA
Program Leader
(414) 337-4567
knash@childrenswi.org
Amy L. Cline, MSW, APSW
Program Manager
(414) 337-4565
acline@childrenswi.org
Catheryn Morateck, MPH
Epidemiologist
(414) 337-4568
cmorateck@childrenswi.org
Joanna O’Donnell, GC-C
Program Manager
(414) 337-4571
jodonnell@childrenswi.org
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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.
