Texas Violent Death Reporting System

Welcome to the Texas Violent Death Reporting System (TVDRS). Texas joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Violent Death Reporting System in January 2019. TVDRS uses the CDC national system to link violent death data, including why they occurred. Our mission is to use violent death data to inform decisions that save lives.

TVDRS collects violent deaths data from many sources involved with violent death. TVDRS removes personal information of the deceased. Staff then enter that information into a secure database. Violent deaths include suicides, homicides, accidental firearm deaths, and undetermined violent deaths.

For more information on which counties TVDRS covers, take a look at the expansion map below.

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How can you use TVDRS data to prevent violent death?

Linking Data to Save Lives

Frontline investigators include:

• Law enforcement;
• Justices of the peace; and
• Medical examiners.

These investigators collect valuable information about violent deaths. Yet, the data is seldom combined to provide a complete picture of the death.

The Texas Violent Death Reporting System (TVDRS) collects data from:

• Death certificates;
• Justice of the peace inquests;
• Medical examiner reports;
• Law enforcement incident reports; and
• Autopsy and toxicology reports. 

These go into one database after our program de-identifies the reports.

Data elements collected provide valuable background about violent deaths. It can show:

• Relationship problems;
• Mental health conditions and treatment;
• Toxicology results; and
• Life stressors, including recent money- or work-related problems or physical health problems. 

Our data is far more comprehensive than other collection systems. Professionals can use this information to create violence prevention efforts to save lives.

Access our informational flyer here.

Contact TVDRS

Your questions are important to us. Please email us at tvdrs@dshs.texas.gov.