The purpose of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Child Fatality Review Team (CFRT) is prevention of child death.  To achieve its purpose, the CFRT shall:

• Review the death of any child 17 years of age and under who legally resided in Hamilton County at the time of death.
• Identify preventable deaths and strategies for the prevention of future childhood fatalities, including any which might relate to limited access to health care.
• Improve procedures of agencies and organizations in response to child deaths.
• Collect statistical and other data and report annually to the State of Tennessee regarding how children are dying in Hamilton County and recommend appropriate strategies for prevention.

 Members of the CFRT are representative of these agencies:

• Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department
• City of Chattanooga Police Department
• Hamilton County Department of Social Services
• Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department
• Hamilton County Medical Examiner
• Children’s Advocacy Center
• T. C. Thompson Neonatology Department
• Hamilton County District Attorney
• Tennessee Department of Children’s Services
• Hamilton County Emergency Services
• Hamilton County Juvenile Court

Operating principles of Child Death Review include:

• The death of a child is a community responsibility.
• A death requires multidisciplinary participation from community.
• A review of case information should be comprehensive and broad.
• A review should lead to an understanding of risk factors.
• A review should focus on prevention of their deaths and the health and safety of all children.
• Reviews should lead to action.

For more information, please call 209-8155

 or visit

http://www2.state.tn.us/health/MCH/CFR.htm