Other Types of Reviews
Copyright Michigan Public Health Institute September 2005

Fetal and Infant Mortality Review
Domestic Violence Review
CAPTA Required Citizen Review Panels
Department of Defense/Military Reviews

Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR)
The FIMR process is used as a mechanism to actively improve resources and service delivery systems available to women, infants and families within a community.

The FIMR process begins with the death of an infant in the community. The death certificate starts the data collection phase, the infant's birth certificate is matched and a maternal interview is sought from the family. The mother's prenatal, E.R., delivery and post partum medical records are then abstracted, along with the infant's delivery, newborn (NICU), E.R. and pediatric records. Any existing medical examiner, law enforcement and protective service records are also abstracted. All identifiers for the infant and family, health providers and delivering facility are then removed to compile a de-identified FIMR case summary.

This de-identified summary serves as the basis for review activities with the community review team members systematically examining the factors associated with infant deaths in their area. The reviews produce findings and recommendations from this team (CRT) to a community action team (CAT), which implement needed changes. The goal of the FIMR program is to improve maternal and infant outcomes and reduce infant deaths by giving local communities an enhanced assessment capacity, the ability to influence policy and program development and to increase the quality of care and resources within that community. Recommendations are reported annually to legislators and the Governor.

In December 2004, findings from an evaluation of the FIMR process were published in a special issue of the MCH Journal, Fetal and Infant Mortality Review:  Historical Foundations, Evaluation Findings and Future Directions.

For more information on FIMR, contact The National Fetal and Infant Mortality Review Program at (202) 863-2587 or email inquiries to nfimr@acog.org.

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Domestic Violence Review
National Domestic Violence Fatality Review Resource Center
The mission of the National Domestic Violence Fatality Review Initiative (NDVFRI) is to provide technical assistance for the reviewing of domestic violence related deaths with the underlying objectives of preventing them in the future, preserving the safety of battered women, and holding accountable both the perpetrators of domestic violence and the multiple agencies and organizations that come into contact with the parties. 

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CAPTA Required Citizen Review Panels
In 1996, the United States Congress mandated that states who receive federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act funding (CAPTA) must establish a minimum of three Citizen Review Panels to develop recommendations for the improvements of a state’s child protection system. At a minimum these panels must look at child fatalities, foster care and adoption and child abuse prevention services in order to improve policies and procedures.

The National Citizens Review Panel has a listserv, which is hosted by the University of Kentucky. It is a great way for CRP members and program coordinators to share ideas and information. A “Question of the Month” is posted each month for discussion. To join this listserv, send an email to Bill Hatcher at bhatch1@uky.edu.

Additionally, the National Citizen Review Panel Website contains many of the annual reports from the state panels. These reports detail the recommendations the panels have made to their states child protection system.

For more information contact:
Blake L. Jones, MSW, LCSW
Program Coordinator
Citizens Review Panels
College of Social Work
University of Kentucky
1 Quality Street, 7th Floor, Suite A
Lexington, KY 40507
Phone: (859) 257-7210
Fax: (859) 257-3918
E-mail: bljone00@uky.edu

Department of Defense/Military Reviews
In August 2004, the Department of Defense issued a directive mandating the review of domestic violence and child abuse related deaths.  The latest memorandum was released on August 21, 2007 which provides more detail on the military review process.

All four of the Services authorize coordination with local level civilian review teams, including allowing military personnel to participate on CDRTs as needed. Moreover, findings and recommendations of civilian CDRTs can be disclosed to appropriate local military personnel, using the Family Advocacy Program manager as the point of contact.  If there is a local military CDRT, civilians are authorized to attend and present relevant information. However, the Federal Advisory Committee Act precludes the civilians from participating in the discussion/preparation of recommendations pertinent to the military, and information about military personnel and their family members that identifies them can only be disclosed to civilians in accordance with the Federal Privacy Act.

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