Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act

This bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to address sudden unexpected infant death and sudden unexpected death in childhood, including through grants and by improving the quality of data pertaining to such deaths.

Specifically, HHS must award grants to national organizations, governmental health departments, and other entities to provide grief counseling and other support services to families that experienced the sudden unexpected death of an infant or child. Additionally, HHS shall (1) determine whether to update the forms used to submit data about sudden unexpected infant or child deaths to registries and other fatality case reporting systems, and (2) encourage the use of such forms to improve the quality of data in the systems.

Furthermore, HHS may provide other support to these registries and systems and may award grants to states and tribes for (1) supporting fetal and infant mortality and child death review programs, (2) improving data collection related to sudden unexpected infant death and sudden unexpected death in childhood, (3) training those who perform death scene investigations of children and infants, and (4) other activities to reduce or prevent unexpected infant and child deaths.

Scarlett’s Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act

This bill establishes various programs for the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) to award grants to states, local agencies, and nonprofit organizations to address sudden unexpected infant and childhood deaths.

The CDC must award grants to eligible applicants to (1) conduct comprehensive death scene investigations, (2) increase the rate of standardized autopsies, and (3) obtain informed consent from families to collect genetic or tissue samples for research into the causes of such deaths. The bill also provides grants for training medical examiners, and other appropriate personnel, about standardized investigative practices, including the infant or child's medical history, other circumstances surrounding the death.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the Department of Health and Human Services also must provide grants to states to develop the capacity for local governments to comprehensively review 100% of all infant and child deaths and maintain the National Fatality Review Case Reporting System. Further, the CDC must use such national reporting system to compile and make publicly available summary data about sudden unexpected infant and childhood deaths. The CDC also must revise its death investigation forms to align with the form used under the national reporting system.

Additionally, the bill requires the ACF to award grants to (1) promote evidence-based best practices, (2) support prevention efforts, (3) provide safe-sleep products, and (4) support the provision of services to families who have had an infant or child die from a sudden unexpected death.