District Of Columbia § 4-1371.03 - Establishment and purpose.

Identify and characterize the scope and nature of child deaths in the jurisdiction, particularly those that are violent, accidental, unexpected, or unexplained;

Examine past events and circumstances surrounding child deaths by reviewing the records and other pertinent documents of public and private agencies responsible for serving families and children, investigating deaths, or treating children in an effort to reduce the number of preventable child fatalities and shall give special attention to child deaths that may have been caused by abuse, negligence, or other forms of maltreatment;

Develop and revise as necessary operating rules and procedures for the review of child deaths, including identification of cases to be reviewed, coordination among the agencies and professionals involved, and improvement of the identification, data collection, and record keeping of the causes of child death;

Recommend systemic improvements to promote improved and integrated public and private systems serving families and children;

Recommend components for prevention and education programs; and

Recommend training to improve the investigation of child deaths.