Under the leadership of the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH), Michigan piloted the establishment of Child Death Review Teams during FY 1995-96 in 17 counties, providing technical support, consultation, and training to participating counties. Oversight responsibility for the Child Death Review Program transferred to the Family Independence Agency (FIA) and received an appropriation of $500,000 for FY 97-98. Staff of MDCH continue to work with FIA regarding this program. The program is expanding to support up to 15 additional local CDRTs in FY 1997-98 and will expand statewide in FY 1998-99.

Local teams use the Governor's Task Force on Criminal Justice's Child Death Review Protocol as a template but there are local variations in the manner in which teams are organized and in determining types of deaths to be reviewed. All local teams attempt to attain:

• accurate identification and uniform reporting of the cause of a child's death under the age of 18;
• enhanced communication and coordination among agencies, more timely notification to agencies when a child dies, and improved agency responses to investigations, delivery of services, and prevention;
• improved response of the criminal justice system to child homicides;
• design and implement cooperative, standardized protocols for the investigation of certain categories of child deaths; and
• identification of and expanded efforts in legislation, policy, and practice to improve child health and safety in order to prevent deaths.

Mail to: Teri Covington