Our vision:
A safe and healthy Kitsap County for all.
Note: As of Sept. 10, 2026, the Kitsap Child Fatality Review (CFR) panel is on hiatus due to loss of Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS) funding. Thank you to all the organizations who have participated in our CFR process. Our commitment to preventing child death continues through our injury prevention work. Watch our presentation to learn more about the history of our CFR panel and anticipated next steps.
CFR is a process that allows public health agencies to review deaths of children 18 years and younger that occurred unexpectedly (RCW 70.05.170). These reviews allow agencies to study why children have died and how to prevent future child injury and death.
Child Fatality Review (CFR) panels look at child death cases. This includes infant, child, and adolescent deaths caused by suicide, homicide, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), unintentional overdose, motor vehicle collisions, falls, fires, drowning, unintentional firearm related injuries, and other means of injury.
Purpose
CFR panels commit to fostering a multidisciplinary practice to improve collective understanding on the circumstances involved in childhood fatalities, and to catalyze meaningful action that empowers safer, healthier communities, families, and children.
Process
CFR panels are a group of diverse and dedicated experts from fire departments, mental health organizations, youth services, local government, hospitals, and other agencies. Each panel member provides information and records, explains procedure, and identifies ways to prevent death and injury. The panel honors all confidentiality agreements.
Child Fatality Review includes three main steps:
Identification
Medical Examiner identifies recent cases that meet child fatality review criteria.
Review
Panel obtains relevant medical, legal, and social service records for each case. This information is used to create case summaries that are used in the review. These case summaries do not contain identifiable information.
Prevention
After every CFR, the panel summarize case findings in a report available to the public. Case data is entered into the National Fatality Review-Case Reporting System. These reports allow the CFR panel, local community members, and national agencies to develop new strategies to prevent child death and injury.
History
Child Fatality Review panels were created in the United States during the 1970’s to prevent child abuse and neglect. Now, panels look at a wide variety of causes of death.
Timeline:
1998: Kitsap Public Health District establishes the first CFR.
2015: The District loses funding and makes the difficult decision to suspend CFR.
2022: Washington state legislature establishes Foundational Public Health Services (FPHS) funding.
2023: The Health District restarts CFR with FPHS funding.
2026: CFR loses FPHS funding and is put on hiatus Sept. 10, 2026.
Questions?
To learn more about child injury and death prevention, email cdp@kitsappublichealth.org
Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) - English & Español
Healthcare Provider Resources
Looking for more healthcare guidance or resources? Visit our Provider Resources page.
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