The Child Death Review (CDR) Program was implemented in Michigan in 1995 to conduct in-depth reviews of child deaths and identify ways to prevent them. In Michigan, there are 76 local CDR teams covering all 83 counties. Some teams serve a two- or three-county jurisdiction.

CDR is a collaborative process that brings together local professionals from a variety of disciplines who volunteer their time to share and discuss comprehensive information on the circumstances surrounding the deaths of children. Local CDR team membership is comprised of six mandated members, which include:

1. the Health Department;
2. the Medical Examiner’s Office;
3. Law Enforcement;
4. the Department of Health and Human Services;
5. the Prosecutor’s Office; and
6. the Court.

Local CDR teams may add further membership or invite guests, as necessary, including representatives from emergency medical services, hospitals and other medical facilities, schools, organizations providing mental health and/or substance use services, and organizations serving those impacted by domestic or sexual violence. In total, more than 1,400 professionals volunteer their time to serve on a local CDR team in Michigan.

Local CDR teams use what they learn during the review process to develop findings and recommendations which they share with other local entities who can help translate them into prevention initiatives that address needs specific to their communities.

The goals of CDR are to influence policy and practice changes that:

• Improve death scene investigations;
• Improve the delivery of services to families; and
• Prevent future fatalities.

It is important to note that CDR is not about assigning blame, determining cause or manner of death, or prosecuting cases, as the teams have no official authority in any of these areas.

The local CDR teams complete a standardized data reporting tool developed by the National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention (NCFRP) and enter data into the web-based National Fatality Review-Case Reporting System (NFR-CRS). This reporting tool was developed with input from many states through their CDR programs. The NCFRP regularly updates the data collection instrument.