Wisconsin has participated in the Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) Case Registry through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) since 2013. The CDC defines a SUID as the death of an infant that is sudden and unexpected, the cause of which is not immediately clear prior to investigation. Causes of death include SUID, SIDS, undetermined and asphyxia. The Alliance works with local child death review teams to ensure all SUID cases are reviewed and entered into the Case Reporting System (CRS).
The CDC and the Alliance identified CRS priority variables for all SUIDs. These variables are used to identify SUID risk factors and improve investigation practices in Wisconsin and across the United States. The ultimate goal is to prevent future deaths. The Alliance data project manager works with CDR teams to confirm as many of the priority variables are entered into the CRS as possible.
A list of the priority variables is available for teams to reference during the review and data entry process. The information primarily will come from birth certificates, death certificates, autopsy reports, and medical examiner or law enforcement reports. Inter-agency collaboration is critical to the child death review process. This includes the gathering of data to understand trends and identify prevention opportunities. The Alliance staff can assist local teams in strengthening partnerships for effective reviews.