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2017 Annual Meeting

September 12–14, 2017

Aurora, Colorado

The links below contained detailed information for the upcoming 2017 Safe States Alliance Annual Meeting, taking place September 12-14, 2017 in Aurora, Colorado.

Please note:

Lessons in Prevention from King County’s Child Death Review: A Summary and Analysis of Findings from Deaths that Occurred July 2012 – December 2015

Wednesday, September 13, 2017 at 4:15 PM–5:30 PM MDT
Aurora Ballroom 1
Learning Objectives
  1. Explain the purpose of King County’s Child Death Review
  2. Describe the review findings from deaths that occurred between July 2012 and December 2015
  3. Provide examples of Child Death Review’s recommendations for prevention and outcomes
Statement of Purpose

King County’s Child Death Review (CDR) examines child deaths (under 18 years of age) due to injury and violence for the purpose of identifying modifiable risk factors – risk factors that can be changed unlike genetic or fixed environmental conditions. Modifiable risk factors inform CDR’s recommendations to improve programs, systems, environments, and policies to prevent children’s deaths. This project compiled the findings, recommendations, and outcomes from 125 deaths reviewed into a report to inform partners and stakeholders.

Methods/Approach

The CDR reviewed 125 of 136 deaths due to injury or violence that occurred between July 2012 and December 2015. One reviewer gathered and analyzed the modifiable risk factors contributing to each death using King County Medical Examiner death investigation reports, law enforcement records, CDR case summaries, and review notes. Public Health – Seattle & King County’s Violence and Injury Prevention Unit conducted a second review to ensure data collected was consistent with information in the primary data sources.

Results

The majority of the deaths reviewed were Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (34%, n=42), suicides (26%, n=33), or unintentional traffic deaths (18%, n=23). About two-thirds (66%, n=83) of all decedents were male. Black, American Indian/Alaska Native, and multi-racial children were overrepresented among the deaths reviewed.

Conclusions & Significance to the Field

The findings included in the report informed the development of recommendations for prevention of future deaths. These include the improvement of a safe firearm storage campaign to prevent suicides and homicides by firearm and the development of a “safe sleep script” to inform providers’ discussions about safe sleep for infants. The implementation of other priority recommendations will require support from policymakers and increased prevention funding.

Presenters

Tony Gomez, Public Health-Seattle & King County
Biography
Mr. Tony Gomez is the Manager of Violence and Injury Prevention at Public Health-Seattle & King County. Tony is also a Clinical Faculty Instructor in the School of Public Health at the University of Washington. He has over 30 years of public health related experience. This includes establishing the Seattle-King County Traffic Safety Coalition in 1997 which is now known as the King County Target Zero Task Force. He continues to serve as the Project Director for this work. Tony is also part of the Safe States Executive Board.
Karyn M. Brownson, MSW, Public Health - Seattle & King County
Biography
Karyn Brownson works on child and youth violence and injury prevention at Public Health – Seattle and King County. She came to Public Health from the Washington State Department of Health, where she was the project manager and lead writer for Washington’s State Suicide Prevention Plan. Karyn has a background in social work and spent much of her career doing leadership development work with marginalized youth in New York City and Seattle. Her interests include prevention of childhood trauma, racial and gender justice, and adolescent health.

Co-Authors

Tatiana Kaehler, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Public Health - Seattle & King County

Primary Contact

Tatiana Kaehler, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Public Health - Seattle & King County
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