Preventative Services

Child Fatality Review and Injury Prevention

Kentucky’s child fatality review program investigates child deaths and uses the information to prevent future incidents. The NKY Health regional team covers Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton Counties. Members include: health department, county coroner, police, social workers, school staff,  EMS and physicians. The teams are organized and led by the Health Department.

Mission

The Child Fatality Review and Injury Prevention Program’s mission is to reduce threats to health and life, particularly deaths among all Kentucky children under 18 years of age.

What is our role?

To facilitate, develop policy, gather and analyze data to identify trends, patterns and risks, provide technical assistance and training, to review, develop, and implement strategies to improve the child fatality review and injury prevention system.

Safe Sleep Kentucky

In Kentucky, the infant mortality rate is almost double the national average. The second leading cause of infant death is sudden and unexpected infant death (SUID).  The category of SUID was created in order to reduce confusion for parents, researchers, and other professionals and is a category of all sudden unexpected infant deaths based on an algorithm developed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The SUID category includes 3 causes of infant death:  SIDS, unintentional asphyxia, and undetermined cause.  Sudden unexpected infant deaths often happen during sleep or in the baby’s sleep area.

In order to reduce the risk of any infant dying due to unsafe sleep, the ABCDs of Safe Sleep should be practiced every time a baby sleeps. A, B, C, and D stand for the following:

1. A is for Alone  |  Share the room, not the bed.
2. B is for Back  |  On my back for night and naps.
3. C is for Crib  |  In a Clean, Clear, Crib.
4. D is for Danger  |  Drinking and drug use impair your ability to care for a baby.

Kentucky Strengthening Families

Kentucky Strengthening Families (KYSF) is a partnership of more than 20 organizations dedicated to promoting protective factors in services and supports for children and their families.

For more information, please review the Kentucky Strengthening Families Fact Sheet.

Safe Infants Act

The Safe Infants Act allows parents to leave babies younger than 30 days old at a designated safe place. No one will call the police or ask for your name.

For additional information, the Safe Infants brochure can be found here. 

Partnership Prevention Efforts:

Kentucky local health departments
Coroners
Local and state child fatality review teams
Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRIC)
Division of Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities (DDID)
Kentucky Department for Community Based Services (DCBS)
Law enforcement
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Mental health treatment centers
SAFE KIDS
Civic organizations and faith-based centers

More Information/Resources

For more information on the Child Fatality Review and Injury Prevention program, please contact Susan Guthier (susan.guthier@nkyhealth.org) or call 859-363-2090.

• Cincinnati Children’s – Comprehensive Children’s Injury Center
• Family Thrive Action Guide
• How to Partner with Families Using the KYSF Protective Factors
• Kentucky Department for Public Health Child Fatality Review and Injury Prevention
• Kentucky Child Fatality Review Program Brochure