USDHHS and USDOJ designated the Los Angeles County, Interagency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect, ICAN, as the National Center on Child Fatality Review, NCFR. ICAN formed the first multiagency child fatality review team in 1978. There are now teams in all but one state, in Canada and part of Australia. Local teams do most of the case review. The primary focus to begin a team may be fatal child abuse. With time, teams address all child deaths and focus more on prevention. Minimal membership includes coroner, law enforcement, prosecuting attorney, child protective services and health. Other members may include schools, mental health, child advocate, domestic violence intervention, and Fire EMT. Intake includes all child deaths from any cause or all coroners’ child death. The review consists of each agency sharing what they know about the child and the death. About 40% of all deaths caused by a caretaker occur under age one with over 80% under age five years. Most children are killed with hands or feet. Males kill more than females. Head trauma in the most common cause of death. California developed a standardized data set using child homicide as defined on the death certificate, homicide as defined by law enforcement, and fatal child abuse/neglect as defined by child protective services. Teams learn to work together addressing problems of the very young and high-risk pregnancies. Prevention programs develop. The database is expanding to a national system connected at the National Center web site, ican-ncfr.org
Learning Objectives: Attendees will be able to 1. Describe the national system of state and local child fatality review teams 2. Describe the proposed national data system for fatal child abuse/neglect. 3. Describe Describe the rold of public health in child fatality review
Keywords: Children, Death
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: 1. Los Angeles County Department of Health Services
2. Los Angeles County Interagency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect, ICAN
3, ICAN National Center on Child Fatality Review
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.