Monday, October 7, 2024
10/7/2024
By establishing the Kentucky Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) Registry, the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) established procedures to identify and review all cases of SUID in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This allows KDPH to increase knowledge about the number, cause, and prevention strategies related to these deaths. Additionally, the data identifies communities disproportionately impacted by SUID. Cases will be ascertained through multiple data sources including Vital Statistics (death certificates), the medical examiner’s office (since 2021, 100% of these deaths are sent for autopsy in Kentucky) coroner reporting, and obituary scans. Additional records will be obtained from law enforcement, newborn screening, social services, and local health department reporting agencies as appropriate. All cases of SUID are reviewed by a multidisciplinary Local or State SUID Case Review Team comprised of representatives from agencies and disciplines with extensive expertise and experience in child death review. Local teams are comprised of the local coroner or if unavailable, the chief medical examiner, law enforcement, social services, vital statistics, pediatric forensics, local health department child fatality coordinator, emergency services, and hospital representation. The State Team includes all the above as well as the Kentucky Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Kentucky Chapter of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the KDPH. The team reviews cases to identify potential risk factors and systemic issues involved with SUID. In addition, members will collaborate to enhance the availability of high quality, timely, and complete data to improve the registry process. The evaluation process will focus on ensuring 100% identification and review of these cases within three months of occurrence. The Kentucky SUID Registry provides information and opportunities to educate and increase awareness of health care providers and the general public about SUID. The summary information obtained from the case review process provides data to drive the development of prevention and health promotion strategies to reduce the number of infants affected by SUID in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Component A funding will continue to support case identification, abstraction, review, categorization, data collection, and analysis. Component C would be used to improve and increase the efforts of Kentucky to address social determinants in communities disproportionately impacted by SUID.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
