Honorable Donna Scott Davenport, Rutherford County Juvenile Judge, has been appointed by Governor Bill Haslam to serve on the Tennessee Department of Health's Child Fatality Review (CFR) Team.

The Tennessee State Child Fatality Review Team consists of high level officials and members of the legislature who can make decisions regarding changes to programs and policies. The Team reports to the Governor and the General Assembly concerning the state team's activities and its recommendations for changes to any law, rule, and policy that would promote the safety and well-being of children

Through child death review, local multidisciplinary teams meet in communities across the country to review case information for deaths with the hope of better understanding why children die and what action can be taken to prevent future deaths. The Maternal and Child Health National Center for Child Death Review provides national-level leadership for state and local child fatality review teams. As of July 2012, every state and the District of Columbia have a system for reviewing child deaths.

A local CFR team exists in each of Tennessee's 31 judicial districts. Each team reviews all deaths of children 17 years of age or younger and makes recommendations to the State CFR Team for reduction and prevention of child deaths statewide. Their careful review process results in a thorough description of the factors related to child deaths.

Approximately 40,000 children aged 0-17 die annually in the United States. Child deaths are often regarded as proxy indicators for the overall health and well-being of a community. While mortality data provides an aggregate picture of child deaths by number and cause, it is from a careful study of each and every child's death that we can learn how best to respond to a fatality and how best to prevent future deaths.

"I was overwhelmed when I heard my name was submitted by the Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court," Judge Davenport says. "Being appointed by Governor Haslam is such an honor. To be even a small part of this Team is beyond my wildest dream.

I look forward to working with the Tennessee CFR Team; to gaining a better understanding of how and why our children suffer unfortunate deaths. Most of all, of course, I want to learn how to take actions to prevent these deaths going forward."