What is the Child Fatality Review Program?

In 1993, ARS 36-3501 established the Child Fatality Review Program to be administered by the Arizona Department of Health Services. The Child Fatality Review Program consists of multidisciplinary teams in 12 counties throughout the state. These local teams conduct detailed reviews of the circumstances surrounding the deaths of all children younger than 18 years of age. During each review, teams complete a standardized data form and develop recommendations for reducing preventable child deaths in Arizona.

Why is this program needed?

The Child Fatality Review Program has successfully established 12 local child fatality review teams, with a total of approximately 250 team members. The state child fatality team provides oversight to local teams and prepares an annual statistical report on the incidence and causes of child fatalities. By November 15 each year, the program publishes the annual report summarizing the findings and makes recommendations to reduce child fatalities. Since its inception, report findings and recommendations have been used to educate the public on ways to improve the safety and health of children and have supported changes in policy and legislation to reduce childhood deaths. In addition to the annual report, the program prepares numerous specialty reports for organizations and individuals conducting research into the causes of child deaths in Arizona. Recommendations for prevention of child fatalities are prepared for elected officials, other policy makers, and the Arizona public.

What are the goals of this program? 

The goal of the Child Fatality Review Program is to reduce preventable child fatalities through systematic, multidisciplinary, multi-agency, and multi-modality reviews of child fatalities in Arizona. This is accomplished through interdisciplinary training and community-based prevention education and through data-driven recommendations for legislation and public policy. Recommendations incorporate the Spectrum of Prevention:

Created by Larry Cohen, Contra Costa Health Services Prevention Program - Find out more at http://preventioninstitute.org/tool_spectrum.html

What has this program achieved?

The Child Fatality Review Program has successfully established 14 local child fatality review teams, with a total of approximately 250 team members. The state child fatality team provides oversight to local teams and prepares an annual statistical report on the incidence and causes of child fatalities. By November 15 each year, the program publishes the annual report summarizing the findings and making recommendations to reduce child fatalities. Since its inception, report findings and recommendations have been used to educate the public on ways to improve the safety and health of children and have supported changes in policy and legislation to reduce childhood deaths. The program’s annually published report outlines actions that each of us can take to prevent the un-timely deaths of Arizona’s children. In addition to the annual report, the program prepares numerous specialty reports for organizations and individuals conducting research into the causes of child deaths in Arizona. Recommendations for prevention of child fatalities are prepared for elected officials, other policy makers, and the Arizona public.

Need more information?

Jamie Smith, Program Manager
Child Fatality Review Program
150 N. 18th Avenue - Suite 320
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: (602) 364-1463
Fax:    (602) 364-1496
Email:  smithja@azdhs.gov  

Website Links:

• American Academy of Pediatrics www.aap.org  
• Childhelp www.childhelp.org
• Children's Defense Fund www.childrensdefense.org
• Cribs for Kids www.cribsforkids.org
• First Things First www.azftf.gov
• National Back to Sleep Campaign www.nichd.nih.gov/sids
• National Center for Child Death Review www.childdeathreview.org
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration www.nhtsa.gov
• Never Shake a Baby Arizona www.nsbaz.org
• Prevent Child Abuse Arizona www.pcaaz.org
• Safe Kids USA www.usa.safekids.org

Publications:

Publications listed are "PDF" files and require Acrobat Reader™ for viewing.

Arizona Child Fatality Review Data Form

Child Fatality Review Annual Reports:

16th Annual Report on 2008 deaths (November 2009)
15th Annual Report on 2007 deaths (January 2009)
14th Annual Report on 2006 deaths (November 2007)
13th Annual Report on 2005 deaths (November 2006)
12th Annual Report on 2004 deaths (November 2005)
11th Annual Report on 2003 deaths (November 2004)
10th Annual Report on 2002 deaths (November 2003)
  9th Annual Report on 2001 deaths (November 2002)
  8th Annual Report on 2000 deaths (November 2001)

Child Fatality Review Regional Reports on 2007 Deaths
Counties:
Apache and Navajo Counties
Cochise County
Coconino County
Gila Graham and Greenlee Counties
La Paz and Mohave Counties
Maricopa County
Pima and Santa Cruz Counties
Pinal County
Yavapai County
Yuma County

Child Fatality Review Regional Reports on 2006 Deaths
Counties:
Apache and Navajo
Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Santa Cruz
Coconino and Yavapai
Gila and Pinal
Lapaz and Yuma
Maricopa
Mohave
Pima

Child Fatality Review Regional Reports on 2005 Deaths
Counties:
Apache and Navajo
Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Santa Cruz
Coconino and Yavapai
Gila and Pinal
Lapaz and Yuma
Maricopa
Mohave
Pima