Know Your Role

Printable Version: Chairperson Responsibilities (PDF)

The main purpose of the Chairperson is to facilitate the local CFPT review process. The chair shall schedule CFPT meetings no less often than once per quarter and often enough to allow adequate review of the cases selected for review. Within three months of election, the chair shall participate in the appropriate training developed under this Article.

The Chairperson will:

1. Prepare the meeting agenda.
2. Ask the Review Coordinator to record attendance, gather signatures on the confidentiality agreement, and complete the Confidential Child Fatality Report Form.
3. Ask members to introduce themselves and the agencies they represent.
4. Remind team members of the confidentiality agreement.
5. Ask all members to share information concerning the case to be reviewed; determine what information is not available and if there is a need to hold for another meeting (i.e. missing records, lack of agency search).
6. Assist the team in determining if enough information has been gathered to conduct a child fatality review.
7. Assist the team with identifying system problems, recommendations, and actions.
8. Help the team determine what additional information is needed, and reschedule a meeting to continue the review, if needed.
9. Ask the Review Coordinator to review recorded system problems, recommendations, and actions to clarify discussion and/or make changes.

Know Your Role

Printable Version: Review Coordinator Responsibilities (PDF)

The main purpose of the Review Coordinator is to provide administrative and clerical support to the local child fatality prevention team. 

The Review Coordinator will work directly with the Chairperson to coordinate these activities:

1. Schedule CFPT meetings as needed.
2. Distribute confidential information to team members regarding date and time of meetings, and cases to be reviewed.
   • No copies should be made of confidential information
3. Assist in the identification of system problems and gaps in services, team recommendations, and actions.
4. Read back identified system problems, recommendations, and actions to clarify discussion for feedback and completion of the review form.
5. Record team input on the Confidential Child Fatality Report Form (see Appendix 2-8 in Review Guide).
6. Email completed review forms to the Team Coordinator.
7. Follow up on information, not under the purview of other team members, as requested.
8. Maintain review team records as directed by the county health director (i.e. confidentiality statements).
9. Collect and dispose of confidential memoranda after the meeting for shredding after the meeting.

Know Your Role: Child Care/Head Start Representative Responsibilities (PDF)

Checklist for Records Review

How to identify sources of information available for local CFPT reviews:

1. Agency contact with mother, father, or deceased child
2. Attendance, behavior, and child’s development
3. Information about health care providers, medical history, and medication
4. Information about other day care providers for this family
5. Indicators of family violence, substance abuse, accidental or non-accidental injury, and physical or mental impairment

Know Your Role: Community Action Agency Representative Responsibilities (PDF)

Checklist for Records Review

How to identify sources of information available for local CFPT reviews:

1. Agency contact with mother, father, or deceased child
2. Type of program providing contact and dates
3. Family or household composition (e.g., names and birth dates of other children or adults in the home, and relation to deceased child)
4. Outcomes of services provided
5. Information involving injury, violence, alcohol, and drugs for any household members
6. Communication with other agencies regarding this family and dates of contact

Know Your Role: District Attorney Representative Responsibilities (PDF)

Checklist for Records Review

How to identify sources of information available for local CFPT reviews:

1. Agency contact with mother, father, or deceased child, including circumstances surrounding child’s death
2. Prior criminal history of household members, including activities outside county or state
3. Dates and nature of criminal history
4. Information involving injury, violence, alcohol, and drugs for any household members
5. Indication that criminal investigation is ongoing*
6. Communication with other agencies regarding this family

*In this case, please notify chairperson in order to possibly postpone the review.

Know Your Role: District Court Judge Representative Responsibilities (PDF)

Checklist for Records Review

How to identify sources of information available for local CFPT reviews:

1. Court involvement with mother, father, or deceased child
2. Indicators of family violence, accidental or non-accidental injury, substance abuse, physical or mental impairment
3. Nature and dates of court involvement, including adjudications, and dispositions
4. Involvement by court counselor or other agencies, or providers
5. Communication and dates of contact with other agencies about this family

Know Your Role: Department of Social Services Representative Responsibilities (PDF)

Checklist for Records Review

How to identify sources of information available for local CFPT reviews:

• Agency contact with mother, father, or deceased child
• Family or household composition (e.g., names and birth dates of other children or adults in the home, and relation to deceased child)
• Child protective services history and dates of contact
• Risk Assessment Worksheet information, including home environment
• Communication with other agencies regarding this family, including day care providers

Know Your Role: Emergency Medical Services Representative Responsibilities (PDF)

Checklist for Records Review

How to identify sources of information available for local CFPT reviews:

1. Agency contact with mother, father, or deceased child, including dates of contact and circumstances surrounding child’s death
2. Household members or other people who were present at the time of death, and conditions of the home environment
3. Indicators of family violence, accidental or non-accidental injury, substance abuse, and physical or mental impairment
4. Medical information about household members, including medications, health care providers, diagnoses, and treatment
5. Communication and dates of contact with other agencies regarding this family

Know Your Role: Guardian Ad Litem Representative Responsibilities (PDF)

Checklist for Records Review

How to identify sources of information available for local CFPT reviews:

1. Agency contact with mother, father, deceased child, or other household members
2. Court reports, including information about family events, home environment, and dates
3. Family or household composition (e.g., names and birth dates of other children or adults in the home, and relation to deceased child)
4. Other agency records or information collected about the family
5. Communication with other agencies regarding this family and the dates of contact

Know Your Role: Health Care Provider Representative Responsibilities (PDF)

Checklist for Records Review

How to identify sources of information available for local CFPT reviews:

1. Office contact with mother, father, or deceased child
2. Dates and nature of contact, diagnoses, medications, treatment, appointments, immunizations
3. Information about other health care received by family and the name(s) of the other health care provider(s)
4. Indicators of family violence, accidental or non-accidental injury, substance abuse, and physical or mental impairment
5. Communication and dates of contact with other providers or agencies about this family

Know Your Role: Health Department Representative Responsibilities (PDF)

Checklist for Records Review

How to identify sources of information available for local CFPT reviews:

1. Agency contact with mother, father, deceased child, or other members
2. Dates and nature of contact
3. Diagnoses, pre-natal care, immunizations, appointments, medications
4. Information about other health care received by family and the names of the health care providers
5. Home visit information, including dates, home environment, family or household composition (e.g., names and birth dates for other children and adults in the home, and relation to deceased child)
6. Indicators of family violence, accidental or non-accidental injury, substance abuse, and physical or mental impairment
7. Communication and dates of contact with other agencies regarding this family

Know Your Role: Law Enforcement Representative Responsibilities (PDF)

Checklist for Records Review

How to identify sources of information available for local CFPT reviews:

1. Agency contact with mother, father, or deceased child, including circumstances surrounding child’s death (e.g., household members present)
2. Agency contact involving deceased child’s residence, including information and observations from visits to residence
3. Dates and nature of contacts
4. Information involving injury or violence for any household member
5. Information involving alcohol and drugs for any household member, including DMV information
6. Indication that law enforcement investigation is ongoing*
7. Child Death Investigation Protocol
8. Communication with other agencies regarding this family

*Please notify chairperson in order to possibly postpone the review

Know Your Role: Medical Examiner Representative Responsibilities (PDF)

Checklist for Records Review

How to identify sources of information available for local CFPT reviews:

1. Medical examiner’s report, if completed.
   • If determination of cause of death is pending, please notify chairperson to delay review
2. Circumstances of child’s death
3. Law enforcement agency involved, or other agency involvement
4. Cause and manner of death
5. Information about child safety restraints, alcohol or other substances, previous injuries or medical treatment
6. Communication and dates of contact with other agencies about this family

Know Your Role: Mental Health Representative Responsibilities (PDF)

Checklist for Records Review

How to identify sources of information available for local CFPT reviews:

1. Agency contact with mother, father, deceased child, or another household member
2. Services provided, dates, and outcomes
3. Family or household composition (e.g., names and birth dates of other children or adults in the home, and relation to deceased child)
4. Presence of federally protected information
5. Diagnoses, treatment recommendations, medications, course of treatment
6. Information about violence, injury, physical or mental impairment, or other issues which affect this family
7. Communication with other agencies regarding this family and dates of contact

Know Your Role: School Representative Responsibilities (PDF)

Checklist for Records Review

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)* is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond high school level. However, schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information such as:

1. Student’s name
2. Address, telephone number
3. Date and place of birth
4. Honors and awards
5. Dates of attendance

Schools must tell parents and eligible students if they are requested to release directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose this information.

*Please refer to the copy of the FERPA law and FERPA: A Guide for Local Teams in Section 3 for further information or talk to your local school officials.