---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 300c–11"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "300c–11"
heading: "Addressing sudden unexpected infant death and sudden unexpected death in childhood"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/300c-11"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter IX — Genetic Diseases, Hemophilia Programs, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome"
  - "Part B — Sudden Unexpected Infant Death, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and Sudden Unexpected Death in Childhood"
---

# §300c–11. Addressing sudden unexpected infant death and sudden unexpected death in childhood

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) may develop, support, or maintain [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) or activities to address sudden unexpected infant death and sudden unexpected death in childhood, including by—
  - (1) continuing to support the Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and Sudden Death in the Young Case Registry of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other fatality case reporting systems that include data pertaining to sudden unexpected infant death and sudden unexpected death in childhood, as appropriate, including such systems supported by the Health Resources and [Services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) Administration, in order to—
    - (A) increase the number of [States](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) and jurisdictions participating in such registries or systems; and
    - (B) improve the utility of such registries or systems, which may include—
      - (i) making summary data available to the public in a timely manner on the internet website of the Department of Health and Human [Services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a), in a manner that, at a minimum, protects personal privacy to the extent required by applicable Federal and [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) law; and
      - (ii) making the data submitted to such registries or systems available to researchers, in a manner that, at a minimum, protects personal privacy to the extent required by applicable Federal and [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) law; and
  - (2) awarding grants or cooperative agreements to [States](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), Indian Tribes, and Tribal organizations for purposes of—
    - (A) supporting fetal and infant mortality and child death review [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for sudden unexpected infant death and sudden unexpected death in childhood, including by establishing such [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) at the local level;
    - (B) improving data collection related to sudden unexpected infant death and sudden unexpected death in childhood, including by—
      - (i) improving the completion of death scene investigations and comprehensive autopsies that include a review of clinical history and circumstances of death with appropriate ancillary testing; and
      - (ii) training medical examiners, coroners, death scene investigators, law enforcement personnel, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, emergency department personnel, and others who perform death scene investigations with respect to the deaths of infants and children, as appropriate;
    - (C) identifying, developing, and implementing best [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) to reduce or prevent sudden unexpected infant death and sudden unexpected death in childhood, including [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) to reduce sleep-related infant deaths;
    - (D) increasing the voluntary inclusion, in registries established for the purpose of conducting research on sudden unexpected infant death and sudden unexpected death in childhood, of samples of tissues or genetic materials from autopsies that have been collected pursuant to Federal or [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) law and for which the parent or guardian has provided informed consent for inclusion in such registries;
    - (E) disseminating information and materials to health care professionals and the public on risk factors that contribute to sudden unexpected infant death and sudden unexpected death in childhood, which may include information on risk factors that contribute to sleep-related sudden unexpected infant death or sudden unexpected death in childhood; or
    - (F) providing information, referrals, or peer or follow-up support [services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a) to families who have experienced sudden unexpected infant death or sudden unexpected death in childhood.
- (b) **Application—** To be eligible to receive a grant or cooperative agreement under [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2), a [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), Indian Tribe, or Tribal organization shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) may require, including information on how such [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) will ensure activities conducted under this section are coordinated with other federally-funded [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) to reduce infant and child mortality, as appropriate.
- (c) **Technical assistance—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall provide technical assistance to [States](/usc/42/201.md?p=f), Tribes, and Tribal organizations receiving a grant or cooperative agreement under [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2) for purposes of carrying out the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) in accordance with this section.
- (d) **Reporting forms—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall, as appropriate, encourage the use of sudden unexpected infant death and sudden unexpected death in childhood reporting forms developed in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve the quality of data submitted to the Sudden Unexpected Infant Death and Sudden Death in the Young Case Registry, and other fatality case reporting systems that include data pertaining to sudden unexpected infant death and sudden unexpected death in childhood.
  - (2) **Update of forms—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall assess whether updates are needed to the sudden unexpected infant death investigation reporting form used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in order to improve the use of such form with other fatality case reporting systems supported by the Department of Health and Human [Services](/usc/42/201.md?p=a), and shall make such updates as appropriate.
- (e) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Sudden infant death syndrome—** The term “sudden infant death syndrome” means a sudden unexpected infant death that remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation.
  - (2) **Sudden unexpected infant death—** The term “sudden unexpected infant death” means the sudden death of an infant under 1 year of age that when first discovered did not have an obvious cause. Such term includes such deaths that are explained, as well as deaths that remain unexplained (which are known as sudden infant death syndrome).
  - (3) **Sudden unexpected death in childhood—** The term “sudden unexpected death in childhood” means the sudden death of a child who is at least 1 year of age but not more than 17 years of age that, when first discovered, did not have an obvious cause. Such term includes such deaths that are explained, as well as deaths that remain unexplained (which are known as sudden unexplained death in childhood).
  - (4) **Sudden unexplained death in childhood—** The term “sudden unexplained death in childhood” means a sudden unexpected death in childhood that remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation.
- (f) **Authorization of appropriations—** For the purpose of carrying out this section, there is authorized to be appropriated $12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XI, § 1121, as added Pub. L. 116–273, § 2(2), Dec. 31, 2020, 134 Stat. 3352.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 300c–11, act July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XI, § 1121, as added Apr. 22, 1974, Pub. L. 93–270, § 3(a), 88 Stat. 91; amended Apr. 22, 1976, Pub. L. 94–278, title IV, § 403(b)(1), 90 Stat. 409; S. Res. 4, Feb. 4, 1977; Aug. 1, 1977, Pub. L. 95–83, title III, § 306(a), 91 Stat. 389; Dec. 19, 1977, Pub. L. 95–215, § 8(a), 91 Stat. 1507; Nov. 8, 1978, Pub. L. 95–613, § 2, 92 Stat. 3094; Dec. 12, 1979, Pub. L. 96–142, title II, § 202, 93 Stat. 1070; H. Res. 549, Mar. 25, 1980; Aug. 13, 1981, Pub. L. 97–35, title XXI, § 2193(a)(1)(C), 95 Stat. 827, related to sudden infant death syndrome counseling, information, educational, and statistical programs, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 97–35, title XXI, § 2193(b)(1), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 827. For effective date, savings, and transitional provisions relating to the amendment and repeal of prior section by Pub. L. 97–35, see section 2194 of Pub. L. 97–35, set out as a note under section 701 of this title.