About Us

About CICL

In 1974, federal legislators recognized the impact of sudden infant death on families and communities, the importance of compassionate intervention, the need determine the cause of infant death and passed the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Act (Public Law 93-270). The Center for Infant & Child Loss (CICL) was established in 1975 to fulfill the unmet needs of Maryland families facing the tragedy of the sudden unexpected death of a child.

All Maryland families of children aged 0 to 16 years who die suddenly and unexpectedly are offered services at no cost. Private funds have played a critical role as 65% of the annual budget is funded through philanthropy. Gifts to the Center for Infant & Child Loss are administered by the University of Maryland Baltimore Foundation, Inc.

CICL, a 501 (c)(3) organization, is within the Division of Community Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Maryland Baltimore, and is funded, in part, by Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and is advised on program development by the CICL Advisory Board.

Mission

Center for Infant & Child Loss is committed to assuring Maryland families facing the sudden unexpected loss of their infant or child have access to bereavement interventions, counseling, and information based on best practices and current research. CICL is dedicated to the education and training of people working in health and childcare, emergency response, law enforcement, and community services to promote awareness and knowledge of sudden infant/child deaths, and practices to reduce the risk of these deaths.

Goals

These are the new goals.

    • Provide bereavement counseling for families and communities experiencing the sudden and unexpected loss of an infant or child up to age 16.
    • Act as a liaison between families and the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
    • Utilize national, State and local resources to share educational materials and grief support with families.
    • Conduct educational and training programs that focus on safe parenting practices and how to help grieving families. The audience for education and training include childcare providers, foster parents, expectant teen mothers and young parents, nurses and other healthcare professionals.
    • Collect and analyze data to determine trends in injury and death to identify interventions.
    • Consult with schools of higher education, community-based agencies and organizations promoting infant and child safety.

Affiliation Statement

The Center for Infant & Child Loss is within the Division of Community Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine. CICL works closely with the State’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and local health departments.

Funding Statement

The Center for Infant & Child Loss is funded, in part by the Maryland Department of Health, Center for Maternal and Child Health, grants and generous donations from individuals, organizations and the business community. All private dollars are administered by the University of Maryland Baltimore Foundation, Inc.