Last updated:  February 2008

Lisa Rhoades
Oklahoma Child Death Review Board
PO Box 26901, Rm 3B3406
Oklahoma City, OK 73190
Phone: 405-271-8858
Fax: 405-271-2931 
Email: lisa-rhoades@ouhsc.edu

Website: http://okcdrb.ouhsc.edu/

Tools

• Oklahoma Child Death Review Legislation

• The Oklahoma Child Death Review Board 2001 Annual Report
• The Oklahoma Child Death Review Board 2002 Annual Report
• The Oklahoma Child Death Review Board 2003 Annual Report
• The Oklahoma Child Death Review Board 2004 Annual Report
• The Oklahoma Child Death Review Board 2005 Annual Report
• The Oklahoma Child Death Review Board 2006 Annual Report

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

Administration
Oklahoma’s Child Death Review Board was established in 1991. The program has an annual budget of $99,083 that is funded by the Oklahoma Commission on Children and Youth and supplemented with Children's Justice Act funds through the Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect.  Funding for the program is year-to-year. The program is housed out of The Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. There are two employees for both the state and local level. Oklahoma CDR also administers the Citizen’s Review Panel. 

Teams
Oklahoma has both state and local teams. Currently, there are four regional teams reviewing cases. Teams conduct retrospective/periodic case reviews.  CDR does serve as a CAPTA Citizen’s Review Panel.

State Team: (Chairperson - Annette Jacobi)
The team is comprised of 24 members and meets monthly.

Local Team: (Chairperson - Glen Dale Carter)
The team is comprised of 10 members and meets quarterly.

Local Team: (Chairperson - Ann Middleton)
The team is comprised of 9 members and meets quarterly.

Local Team: (Chairperson - Debbie Lowan, MD)
The team is comprised of 8 members and meets every other month.

Local Team: (Chairperson - Michael Stratton, DO)
The team is comprised of 23 members and meets quarterly.

Reviews
Oklahoma CDR teams review unattended deaths to children under the age of 18 years old.  Serious injuries/near fatalities are reviewed by CDR.

Purpose
The purpose of the Oklahoma CDR Program is to prevent child deaths and make improvements to the social service system. 

Data
Standardized data reporting forms are completed for all reviews on a web based database. The collection of data is legislatively mandated. Oklahoma CDR has access to state vital statistics. Vital statistics are used to acquire the death certificates, which comprise part of the case file. CDR data is stored electronically and is analyzed statistically. 

Annual Report
Oklahoma does produce an annual report. This report is distributed to the legislature, Governor's Office and any additional interested parties. 

Prevention Initiatives
CDR findings have influenced policy changes. Statewide examples include automatically including toxic screens for all unexplained deaths of children, autopsies are now required in all deaths before the manner of death can be listed as SIDS and a death scene investigation card has been created for all first responders in the state. Examples of how CDR findings have motivated prevention activities include the State Child Death Review Board involvement with AAA in attempting to pass legislation for a graduated drivers license program and with legislation to help improve car restraint laws. 

Protocols
Oklahoma CDR has a variety of protocols in place including CDR meeting, child death investigation (death scene investigation cards) and confidentiality. 

Training
Training is provided and is funded through the Children's Justice Act monies. Oklahoma provides training to law enforcement officials on child death scene investigations.