State Spotlight - Louisiana

Last updated:  May 2007

Janie Kelly
Child Death Review Panel Coordinator/
SIDS Risk Reduction Coordinator
Office of Public Health
L&A Road
Metairie, LA 70001
Phone: 504-219-4615
Email:  jkelly2@dhh.la.gov

Tools
 Reports
Mortality Statistics Program Description

Administration
The Louisiana CDR Program was established by statute (section 40:2019) in 1992.  The program is funded by and housed out of the Department of Health and Hospitals-Office of Public Health. Funding for the program is not stable and can change from year to year. It depends on block grant monies and the state budget. There is one state level employee and nine local employees that staff the program. The Office of Public Health includes block grant funding contracts for the nine regions to fund Injury Prevention Coordinators who are also responsible for creating and managing the local child death review team in their region. 

Teams
Louisiana has both state and local teams. The state level team is mandatory and local is permissive.  Citizens serve on both the state and local level teams. Louisiana is a member of the Southeast Coalition on Child Fatalities.

State Team: (Chairperson - Public Health Officer)
The team is comprised of 25 members and meets quarterly. The State Panel has the authority to revise the cause and manner of death.

Local Teams: (Chairperson - Regional Medical Director)
There are nine teams that meet as needed, but at least quarterly. These teams began reviewing cases in 2002, which has taken the burden off the State Panel to review all deaths. Death certificates from the State Department of Vital Statistics usually generates the review, however, local teams may come together to discuss a death before a certificate is issued. Local teams notify a public health nurse when an infant dies of SIDS so the nurse can make a home visit.

Reviews
Louisiana teams review unexpected child deaths. Cases are reviewed involving children less than 15 years old.   Louisiana also has FIMR, Maternal Mortality and SIDS review programs.

Purpose
The purpose of the Louisiana CDR program is prevention. The Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health has always had this focus. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome services are offered through the program. A public health nurse visits the family for investigation and bereavement purposes. The CDR Coordinator obtains and reviews all reports and then forwards them to the SIDS Medical Consultant for analysis. The Medical Consultant reviews all reports and makes recommendations to the State CDR Panel. This position is funded through a contract under Maternal and Child Health.

Data
Standardized data reporting forms are completed for all reviews. This is required by state law which also requires an annual review with the policy office on data collection. Data is stored in two LOGS in the office of the Coordinator. Louisiana One LOG tracks all deaths ages one to fifteen and the other is a follow-up LOG in which only those deaths which were unexpected are entered. Louisiana's CDR has access to vital statistics and uses that information to generate the review, to facilitate the dissemination of information and to facilitate follow-up of each death with various personnel involved e.g. Sheriff, Coroner, etc. An Injury Prevention Epidemiologist is responsible for the analysis of the data and works closely with the Coordinator to complete the annual report.

Annual Report
Louisiana does produce an annual report. Currently, the report on 2000 deaths is being distributed. The report is distributed to the Governor, Legislators, State Agencies, Panel Members, newspaper reporters, etc.

Prevention Initiatives
CDR findings have influenced policy changes in Louisiana. Statewide examples of these changes include seat belt and booster seat legislation along with helmet laws when riding bicycles. Local community examples include the implementation of a “NO” flotation device and “NO” swimming in Lake Charles. One hospital has changed its sleep instructions for newborns from side/back position to only back. Prevention activities motivated by CDR findings include a campaign to advise parents of the dangers of ATV’s, SIDS information distributed by all Wal-Mart stores with the purchase of a baby crib, brochures, and Health and Safety Fairs. In addition, a huge statewide marketing program to promote “Back To Sleep” is funded through a contract utilizing MCH funding. This is the second year of implementation.

Protocols
Louisiana's CDR Program has confidentiality and child death investigation protocols in place.

Training
Training is not provided on a routine basis. The last training conducted was a workshop pertaining to infant death scene investigation. The workshop was offered statewide.