Iowa - State Spotlight


State Spotlight - Iowa Last updated: February 2008 Laurie Robison Iowa Department of Health Division of Health Promotion, Family Services Bureau 321 East 12th Street, Lucas Bldg. 5th Floor Des Moines, IA 50319-0075 Phone: 515-242-6167 Fax: 515-242-6384 Email: lrobison@idph.state.ia.us Website: http://www.idph.state.ia.us/hpcdp/medical_examiner_cdrt.asp Tools Iowa Preliminary Report of Child/Infant Death Scene Investigation Iowa Child Death Review Legislation Reports Iowa Domestic Abuse Death Review Team 2001 Annual Report Iowa Child Death Review Team Report 2001 Iowa Child Death Review Team Report 2002 Iowa Child Death Review Team Report 2003 Iowa Child Death Review Team Report 2004 Iowa Child Death Review Team Supplemental Report, October 2004 Iowa Child Death Review Team Report 2005 Iowa Child Death Review Team Supplemental Report, August 2006 Mortality Statistics Iowa Child Mortality Data, 2002 Iowa Child Mortality Data, 2003 Iowa Child Mortality Data, 2005 Program Description Administration The Iowa Child Death Review Program was established in 1995 by Statute, 641-90.1 et seq. The program has an annual budget of $28,000. Funding for the program comes from the Department of Public Health’s MCH Block grant ($8,000) and state general funds ($20,000). Funding is year-to-year. The program is housed out of the health department. On the state level, there is one employee that staffs the program at .35 FTE. Teams Iowa has a state review team. This team also serves as a CAPTA Citizen’s Review Panel. State Team Chairperson: Lon Walker The team is comprised of 14 official members and six liaisons. The team meets six times per year. The State Team has participated in legislative hearings, educational presentations and published articles in professional journals. Reviews The Iowa CDR team reviews deaths to children under 18 years of age. Purpose The purpose of Iowa’s CDR Program is prevention. Data Standardized data reporting forms are completed for all reviews. The collection of data is not required by legislation or policy, but is needed for their annual report. Iowa CDR has access to state vital records. Vital records (birth and death certificates) are used to identify child deaths and for background checks. CDR data are stored on a computer file and in hard copy for three years. The data are analyzed using frequency distributions by manner and cause. Annual Report Iowa does produce an annual report. The report is on the health department’s website. Recommendations are sent to the Governor and legislature. The report is distributed to the Governor, legislature, state agencies, law enforcement and county attorneys. Prevention Initiatives Iowa CDR efforts have influenced change. Statewide examples of this include an influence on proposed legislation, coordination of CDR data with the Iowa SIDS Foundation and changes in the length of sentences for criminals who kill a child. Examples of how CDR findings have motivated prevention activities include the distribution of SIDS brochures, posters and videos to child care providers and educational materials on bed-sharing. This effort has been evaluated for effectiveness. Evaluation efforts consisted of a hospital survey that measured data from 2001 through 2002. The data showed that in 2001, nine out of 93 hospitals placed babies in their newborn nurseries to sleep on their backs and in 2002 (after brochures had been distributed), nine out of 93 hospitals did not place babies on their backs. Protocols Iowa CDR has confidentiality and child death investigation protocols in place. Training Iowa CDR provides training on child abuse and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Funding is not currently available.