South Carolina - State Spotlight


State Spotlight - South Carolina Last updated: April 2008 Keisha Adams Program Coordinator-Child Fatality South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Division of Injury and Violence Prevention 1751 Calhoun Street Columbia, SC 29201 Phone: 803-898-4153 Fax: 803-253-4001 Email: adamsks@dhec.sc.gov Tools South Carolina Child Fatality Review Legislation South Carolina EMS Training Prevention Initiative Reports State of South Carolina, State Child Fatality Advisory Committee 2002 Annual Report State of South Carolina, State Child Fatality Advisory Committee 2003 Annual Report Mortality Statistics South Carolina Child Mortality Data, 2002 South Carolina Child Mortality Data, 2003 South Carolina Child Mortality Data, 2005 Program Description Administration South Carolina’s CFR Program was established in 1993 by legislation. The program is housed out of the Department of Child Fatalities / South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and is headed by Lt. Patsy Lightle. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has partnered with the program by providing a part time employee to assist in the development of local CDR teams. Teams South Carolina has both state and local CDR teams. South Carolina includes its Citizen’s Review Panel with CDR efforts. State Team: (Chairperson - Dr. Clay Nichols) The State Child Fatality Advisory Committee (SCFAC) is mandated by law to look at unexpected/unexplained child deaths under the age of 18 years. It has both an investigative and prevention purpose. Local Teams: Local teams are voluntary and were established in 1998. There are 12 local teams, which volunteer their time and meet as needed. Reviews South Carolina reviews unexpected/unexplained deaths to children less than 18 years old. Purpose The main purpose of South Carolina’s CDR Program is to investigate and prevent child deaths. Data Standardized data reporting forms are completed for all reviews. Annual Report South Carolina does produce an annual report. Prevention Initiatives Building partnerships with other organizations dedicated to the welfare of children exists as a continuing goal of the SCFAC. SC SAFE KIDS is dedicated to preventing unintentional injuries, fatal and non-fatal, of South Carolina’s children. Unintentional injury has consistently proved to be the leading category of child fatality reviewed by the SCFAC. Through working together the efforts of both groups are enhanced. As part of this membership, the Chair of the SCFAC is now a member of the SC SAFE KIDS board. The SCFAC is also represented on a task force to review child deaths in South Carolina brought together by a contract between the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control and the South Carolina Department of Social Services. The SCFAC also highlights dangers and join a broad statewide coalition to educate families and caregivers by implementing the Safe Sleep for Infants, which encourages safe sleeping methods to reduce risk to infants in their sleep environment. The Children's Law Office has joined the SCFAC to aid in the reduction of infant deaths through legal expertise. Protocols South Carolina has a CFR meeting, confidentiality and child/infant death investigation protocol. Training Training is offered on the use of the protocol and on other issues pertaining to infanticide.