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Child Fatality Review Team

Child fatality review teams are multi-disciplinary, multi-agency panels that review all child deaths regardless of the cause.  Members may include law enforcement, prosecutors, medical examiners, justices of the peace, healthcare professionals, child protective services, public and mental health professionals, educators and child advocates.  In Texas, formation of child fatality review teams in each county is authorized by Chapter 264 of the Family Code:
http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/fa.toc.htm
 

These teams are uniquely qualified to understand what no single agency or group working alone can: how and why children are dying in their community. 

By sharing information, team members discover the circumstances surrounding a child's death. They identify gaps or breakdowns in agency services designed to protect children, and work to revise agency procedures and professional investigation protocols. Because of the team's efforts, child fatalities are more accurately recorded and needed prevention initiatives can be developed. The ultimate result of a child fatality review system is an improved response to all child fatalities. 

It is the sincere hope of the Houston-Harris County Child Fatality Review Team (HHCCFRT) that the information presented will provide direction for program and policy development to the many agencies and community based organizations concerned with the well being of children in our community.

HHCCFRT History

The Houston/Harris County Child Fatality Review Team was formed in April of 1994, just prior to the 74th Texas State Legislature's enactment of Chapter 264, Subchapter F of Texas Family Code (S.F. 1484, and S.B. 81, effective September 1, 1995), that set forth rules and procedures to be followed by child fatality review teams in Texas.  A number of positive changes have been achieved during that time.

For example:

a) The Houston Police Department and the Harris County Sheriff's Office now make the scene on all SIDS deaths.  The number of SIDS cases in Houston/Harris County has dropped from 51 in 1995 to 17 in 2001, due in part to improved recognition of what constitutes a SIDS death, but also as a result of increased parent education efforts concerning SIDS risk factors.

b) There has been an increased awareness of child fatality issues within the HHCCFRT collaborating agencies and better communication between the offices that investigate a child death case.  Frequently, representatives at team meetings facilitate the exchange of information between their respective agencies.

c) There have been a number of cases in which the child's death was first thought to be either natural or accidental in manner, but other circumstances revealed by the HHCCFRT review resulted in a "second look" by investigators.

d) Homicide firearm child fatalities have shown a steady drop from 55 in 1996-97 to 45 in 1998-99 to only 32 in 2000-2001.  There were fewer than five unintentional firearm deaths in 2000-2001, possibly as a result of increased education about accessibility of firearms in the home.

HHCCFRT Member Agencies

 HHCCFRT Review Process

The large volume of cases in Houston and Harris County make it necessary for the HHCCFRT to establish certain criteria to prioritize reviews.  The death of a child under 18 years is reviewed if the case is a natural death of a resident of Houston or unincorporated Harris County or if it is an injury death that occurred within the boundaries of Houston or unincorporated Harris County, regardless of residence.  Stillbirths are not reviewed.  Categories of deaths requiring extensive review are: homicide, injuries, suicide, undetermined manner, sudden or unexpected deaths including SIDS, all Medical Examiner cases, all cases with previous Children's Protective Services involvement, and all cases investigated by law enforcement. 

The presiding officer and the team coordinator compile summary information for each death to be reviewed.  These summaries are provided to the other team members who search their files and obtain the necessary data for a review.  Each member presents their agency’s investigation and/or historical information on the cases and families.  The presiding officer ends every review with the question, “After hearing all the information regarding this child’s death, was this a preventable death?”  If the answer is yes, the team is asked to identify possible interventions.  At the end of the meeting each member may discuss any issues raised during the meeting.  The presiding officer maintains a record of issues from team discussions. 

The review process adheres to strict rules of confidentiality.  Team members sign a confidentiality agreement and may not disclose any confidential information outside of the team.  Records acquired by the team are exempt from disclosure under the Open Records Law, Chapter 552 of the Government Code.  Information, documents, and records are confidential and are not subject to subpoena or discovery, and may not be introduced into evidence in any civil or criminal proceedings.  Furthermore, the child protective services member of a team may not disclose information from the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services records that would identify an individual who reported an allegation of child abuse and/or neglect.

For more information about the HHCCFRT, call the HHCCFRT Coordinator at (713)439-6137.

HHCCFRT Reports

• 1996-97 Report
• 1998-99 Report
• 2000-2001 Report
• 2002-2003 Report
• Texas Child Fatality Review Team- Annual Report 2007