A child death review team is not a new official organization.  The authority and responsibility of participating agencies do not change. Rather, teams enable various disciplines to come to the same table on a regular basis and pool their expertise to better understand and take action on child deaths in their jurisdictions.

Team Coordinator

A team coordinator is selected at the organizational meeting prior to the first review meeting. The team coordinator, who can be any one of the team members, serves at the discretion of the team. Teams can decide to rotate the position.

Team coordinator duties: 

1. Call and chair team meetings.

2. Send meeting notices to team members.

3. Obtain names and compile the summary sheet of child deaths to be reviewed (Sample in Appendix C) for distribution to team members two weeks prior to each meeting.

4. Submit data reports to the State Child Death Review Program internet data system.

5. Ensure that the team operates according to protocols as adapted by the team.

6. Ensure that all new team members and ad hoc members sign a confidentiality agreement.

Member Designees and Meeting Attendance

Team members can designate another representative of their agency to replace them at meetings they are unable to attend. Team members must recognize the importance of regular attendance as a means of sharing the expertise and knowledge for which they were recruited.

Team members who consistently miss meetings should be replaced. The team coordinator should contact their agency to designate other qualified individuals.

Core Team Membership 

Public Act 167 of 1997 stipulates that child death review teams have a core team membership that includes:

• The county medical examiner or deputy county medical examiner

• A representative of a local law enforcement agency

• A representative of the county Department of Human Services

• A county prosecuting attorney or designee

• A representative of the local health department

Additional Team Membership

Additional team membership depends on community resources and needs. It is recommended that a team also include:

• A pediatrician

• An emergency medical services provider

• A representative from a community hospital

• A representative from community mental health

• A representative from the juvenile division of probate or family court

• A representative from the intermediate school district or local schools

• A child‑care licensing representative

Other team members may include neonatologists and representatives from the clergy, funeral homes, child advocacy centers, SIDS professional support services, community foundation officers and tribal councils. Because agencies have special programs that relate to team activities, it may be appropriate to have more than one agency representative on a team.

Ad Hoc Members 

Teams may designate ad hoc members. Because ad hoc members are not permanent, they do not regularly receive team notices. They attend meetings only when they have been directly involved in a case scheduled for review or to provide information on team related activities. Ad Hoc members provide valuable information without increasing the number of permanent team members. They may be child protective service workers involved in a specific case, law enforcement officers from a police agency that handled a case, or a child advocate who worked with a family.