Last updated:  August 2008

Madelyn Childs
Crime Prevention Specialist
Office of the Attorney General
Child Abuse Prevention
1300 I Street, Suite 1150
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 322-2796 
Fax: 916-327-2384 
Email: Madelyn.Childs@doj.ca.gov

Website: http://www.safestate.org

Tools

• California Child Death Review Legislation

• Child Deaths in California Related to Abuse and Neglect 1996-1998
• ICAN Child Death Review Team Report for 1999 
• ICAN Child Death Review Team Report for 2001
• Child Deaths in California, 1999-2001

• California Child Mortality Data, 2002
• California Child Mortality Data, 2003
• California Child Mortality Data, 2005

Administration
The California Child Death Review Council and Child Death Review Teams were established by statute (Section 1166.95 et seq.) in 1997.  However, Los Angeles County has been reviewing child deaths since 1978.

California's CDR program has an annual budget of approximately $325,000.  These monies support state and local level activities.   Approximately, $300,000.00 of the total program budget is used to provide support for local teams.  The remainder of the funds are used for the state run council.  Program funds come from the Department of Health (FCANS and MCH), the Department of Justice, the Department of Social Services, other state funding sources and local in-kind sources.  Funding for the program has been stable. 

The program is housed out of the Attorney General’s Office. At the state level, there is .25 funded FTEs and 1.00 in-kind employees.

Teams
California has both a state and local teams.  The State Team oversees local teams' activities.

State Team Chairperson: David Erb and Judy Mikesell
The Child Death Review Council has 16 members and meets four times a year. 

Local Teams:
There are 58 local CDR teams.  Meeting schedules vary by team.

Reviews
The California CDR teams review intentional and unintentional injury deaths but this varies by team. They review cases of children that are less than 18 years old. 

Purpose
The purpose of California's CDR program is to investigate, provide services and prevent child deaths. Quality assurance and case management are also important functions. The focus of the program was originally on child abuse and neglect but has evolved to the areas listed above. Some of the local California CDR program offers bereavement and SIDS services. Critical incident de-briefing is also done at the local level. 

Data
Standardized data reporting forms are completed for all reviews, which is required by statute. Data is stored and analyzed by the Department of Health Services. The local teams send their data to the state. As of May 2006, some county teams will be participating in the National Center for Child Death Review Case Reporting System.

Annual Report
California produces an annual report. This report is sent to CDR teams, the Senate and Assembly, the governor, libraries and the general public upon request. 

Prevention Initiatives
CDR findings have influenced policy changes in California. A statewide data collection system was developed. Local policy changes have resulted as well including pool fencing and zero tolerance for carrying guns on school property. California's CDR findings have motivated prevention activities including public education on drowning, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Safe Sleep. These activities have not been evaluated. 

Protocols
California has a variety of protocols in place including, CDR meeting and confidentiality. 

Training
California CDR offers training on forensic pathology, grief and mourning, death scene preservation, confidentiality, child death review team protocol, injury prevention and data collection. Various state departments fund the trainings. Currently, regional trainings are in the planning stages.