Child Pathologist Network

The legislation mandating child fatality review panels in every Missouri county also requires that all autopsies for children, birth through age 17, be performed by a certified child death pathologist.

The State Technical Assistance Team, in conjunction with the Department of Health, maintains a “network” of child death pathologists who must meet certification requirements and follow specific policies and guidelines, including a uniform autopsy protocol.

STAT also manages a program of state–financed autopsy reimbursements to the Child Pathologist Network members. This guarantees that the decision to autopsy will not be influenced by county budget constraints.