R.S. 40:2018 authorizes the Bureau of Family Health, on behalf of the Commission on Perinatal Care and Prevention of Infant Mortality, to review coroner reports related to pregnancy-associated deaths. Regional abstractors will request autopsy reports from Parish Coroners for women who died during or within one year of pregnancy regardless of the cause of death. We ask that when contacted, you please provide assistance and access to autopsy reports.
R.S. 40:2019 requires that all unexpected or unexplained deaths of children under the age of 15 years be reviewed. Regional abstractors will request autopsy reports from Parish Coroners for infants and children less than 15 years of age whose deaths resulted from unintentional injury, homicide, suicide or Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID*). We ask that when contacted, you please provide assistance and access to autopsy reports. The legislation also requires that a copy of the death investigation report, or any portion thereof, including law enforcement, coroner, fire department, and medical providers, or any other information relative to the death investigation shall be provided to the state CDR panel within thirty days of the request.
Please include a separate BFH reimbursement form for the SUIDIRF and autopsy and a W-9 form first time reimbursement requests. Please make sure that all mail is marked confidential and all faxes have a covers letter.