Department of Health
John J. Dreyzehner, MD, MPH, Commissioner

Prevention through Understanding: Investigating Unexpected Infant Death

The Sudden Unexplained Child Death Act of 2001 states that all emergency medical technicians, firefighters, and law enforcement officers must receive training on handling cases of sudden, unexpected infant death as part of their basic and continuing training requirements.  An annual training session, Prevention through Understanding, is held for training coordinators of law enforcement officers, emergency medical technicians, and firefighters.  Prevention through Understanding will provide such professionals with the information they need to respond appropriately and respectfully to one of the most professionally and personally challenging situations faced in death scene investigation. 

Five contact hours are available for trainers who complete Prevention through Understanding: Investigating Unexpected Infant Death. Trainees who attend an in-service or pre-service program can receive two contact hours.

If you are interested in receiving training and/or materials for the Investigation of Unexpected Infant Death, please contact:

John Burchfield
(615) 898-5804
burchfie@mtsu.edu

Click here to connect to Middle Tennessee State University’s DSI website.

To learn more about the details of this program, please select the following links:

• Sudden Unexplained Child Death Act of 2001 (TCA 68-1-1102, 2001 and supp. 2002): Read the law here.
  
• The First Candle/SIDS Alliance website has more information about sudden infant death.
  
• For inquiries about deaths of children over the age of one, please contact the Tennessee State Medical Examiner’s office.
• Sudden Unexplained Infant Death Investigation Report -
  Questionnaire to complete when an INFANT (<1 year old) dies unexpectedly
• Sudden Unexplained Child Death Investigation Report -
  Questionnaire to complete when a CHILD (>1 year old) dies unexpectedly