Program Contact

April Stahl
Social Services Program Specialist III
Nevada Department of Health and Human Services
Division of Child and Family Services
4126 Technology Way
Carson City, NV 89706
Phone: (775) 684-4471
Fax: F: (775) 684-4903
Email: AStahl@dcfs.nv.gov

Website: http://dcfs.nv.gov/Programs/CWS/CPS/ChildFatalities/

Program Description

Administration
The Nevada CDR program was established in 1993. The program is stand-alone with much of the work conducted by volunteers. In 2003, a law was passed in Nevada that places a one dollar tax on death certificates. The money will be used to fund child fatality review. This fee revenue source fluctuates annually, but provides approximately $117,000 per year.

Teams
Nevada has both state and local teams.

State Team:
The team is comprised of eight members and meets quarterly.

Local Teams:
There are six teams, those in larger urban areas meet monthly, or bimonthly, rural communities meet quarterly when there is a death to review.

Reviews
Nevada CDR Teams review deaths to children age 17 years and younger.

Purpose
The purpose of the Nevada CDR Program is prevention, education and case analysis to determine needed policy, protocol and statute changes.

Data
Standardized data reporting forms are completed for all reviews. This is required by state legislation beginning January 2004. Nevada CDR has access to state vital statistics and uses it for demographic information. CDR data is stored in a private computerized database and is analyzed through statistics.

Annual Report
Nevada does produce an annual report. The annual report features data from six local teams. This report is distributed to all team members, child welfare agency staff, Judicial, Assemblymen and County Commissioners.

Prevention Initiatives
CDR findings have influenced both policy changes and the direction for public awareness campaigns. Policy changes include revised Child Protective Services Intake policies, changes in laws and policies regarding placement of newborns and law enforcement protocols when handling cases of child fatalities and near fatalities. Public awareness campaigns include collaborations with various stakeholders in the community. Some campaigns that the Nevada Child Death Review program has sponsored are:

  1. Emergency mental health response for the crisis stabilization of rural youth: This rural youth suicide prevention program is operated by Desert Rose Counseling Group and provides mobile transitional services with prompt assessment of situational risk. Through a partnership with Integrated Telehealth Solutions, Desert Rose deploys digital tablets with school counselors and/or social workers that facilitate a video interface with mental health counseling services. This program aims to reduce youth suicide by addressing the lack of providers in rural areas of the state as well as lack of youth engagement with mental health treatment.
  2. Suicide prevention for under-represented populations: This suicide prevention program is operated by the Renown Child Health Institute in partnership with the SAFE KIDS Washoe County Coalition and targets under-represented youth populations in Washoe County. This area of the state has a significant Latino population and there is growing concern with suicide rates among this group. Because some teens are under-represented in certain child safety efforts, the program focuses on culturally competent materials and training, including print and social media campaigns. These materials will be shared with community partners and possibly introduced into local schools.
  3. Text4Life: During SFY 2018, the Executive Committee provided continuing funding for both the Text4Life service as well as traditional telephone hotline support for adolescents at risk of suicide. This was first funded in SFY 2015.
  4. safeTALK: The Executive Committee provided funding to the Nevada Coalition for Suicide Prevention (NCSP) to support the provision of Suicide Alertness for Everyone (safeTALK) training to law enforcement agencies and firearm industry members. This program continues the coalition’s efforts to focus on the reduction of access to lethal means, specifically firearms.

Protocols
Nevada CDR has a variety of protocols in place including CDR Meeting and confidentiality requirements.

Training
The training is provided through the child death review fund and is scheduled at the request of the multidisciplinary teams.

Last Updated: October 2023

Tools

Reports

Mortality Statistics