Wisconsin Domestic Violence Fatality Review Initiative
A new Wisconsin law provides the legal framework, record access, and confidentiality protections communities need to establish domestic violence fatality review teams and prevent future tragedies.
Learn About Act 148 →Domestic violence fatality review is a deliberate, structured process for examining deaths caused by domestic violence, understanding the systemic interventions that did or did not occur before the death, and developing recommendations to prevent future tragedies. With approximately 200 teams operating across the country, this is proven, prevention-focused work.
Understanding what happened, what could have been done differently, and what changes to policy or practice might save lives in the future.
Teams focus on systemic learning, not assigning individual fault. Honest assessment in a safe environment leads to meaningful change.
2025 Wisconsin Act 148 provides confidentiality protections, liability immunity, and record access authority for review teams.
Signed by Governor Tony Evers on April 2, 2026, this law creates Wisconsin Statutes Section 250.22, establishing the first statutory framework for fatality review teams in the state. The law takes effect May 1, 2027.
The Wisconsin Domestic Violence Fatality Review Initiative is coordinated by Rainbow House Domestic Abuse Services, Inc. as part of its Domestic Violence Homicide Prevention Office, funded by the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention. The Office delivers three connected programs: statewide Lethality Assessment Program coordination, fatality review coordination, and statewide prevention infrastructure.
The Initiative's state level work group meets on the second Monday of every month at 11:00 a.m., virtually.
Prior agendas and meeting minutes are posted publicly and can be accessed here.
Our toolkit provides everything your community needs to form a fatality review team under the new law, from step-by-step guidance to model confidentiality language.
Download the Toolkit →