Despite a 2008 state law mandating comprehensive reviews of all child deaths, approximately half of Pennsylvania's childhood fatalities have not been reviewed since 2020. Reports highlight systemic failures, especially in rural counties, due to a lack of funding and resources, prompting calls for state intervention.
Pennsylvania 's Child Death Review program, mandated by a 2008 state law, is failing to review the deaths of every child in many counties across the state.
The law requires each county to establish a local board composed of healthcare professionals, law enforcement officials, child protective service providers, and a coroner or medical examiner to comprehensively review the deaths of all residents under the age of 21. Based on their findings, these teams are tasked with developing strategies for policymakers to prevent similar future tragedies.
However, reports from the Pennsylvania Department of Health obtained by Spotlight PA reveal that since 2020, approximately half of all childhood deaths statewide have not undergone this critical review process. The shortfalls are particularly acute in rural counties, where local teams frequently disband or fail to exist altogether.
A 2024 state-commissioned report concluded the program is "an unfunded mandate" and issued recommendations including the creation of regional teams for rural areas to address staffing turnovers and pandemic-related disruptions that crippled many review boards. Advocates, including pediatricians like Steven Shapiro of Montgomery County and Erich Batra of Lebanon County, are urging state officials to overhaul the "flawed" system, calling for better-coordinated data collection and a reduction of burdens on county-level resources.
They argue that thorough investigations into each child's death are essential to identifying systemic failures and protecting other children. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who is Steven Shapiro's son, has proposed allocating $2.5 million in state funding to strengthen the program, but it remains uncertain whether this request will be prioritized in the current legislative session
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