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Latest legal information about SBS
Call your state Assemblyperson and Senator to thank them for their support on Assembly Bill A2208-A.
Ron Hicks, the Governor's local representative, advised us today that the Governor has signed legislation introduced by Assemblyman Sam Hoyt which will require hospitals to include information on the causes and consequences of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) in the informational brochure they are required to provide to new parents.
While the Skipper Initiative applauds the adoption of this legislation, we recognize it is only the first step in implementing the highly effective SBS prevention program developed by Dr. Mark Dias at the Children's Hospital of Buffalo.
That remarkably successful program reduced SBS incidents in western New York by more than 60%. Using an 11 minute videotape, a SBS information brochure, and 5 to 10 minutes of a nurse's time, the Dias program ensures that parents actually receive the information they need to protect their child against shaking injuries.
The Skipper Initiative and the Child Abuse Prevention Center are working with several local hospitals to begin implementation of this highly effective program in the Hudson Valley. In the fall, we will also begin working with schools and county health departments in the Hudson Valley to increase education and awareness about SBS.
Nationwide, preliminary statistics suggest that nearly 25% of SBS incidents now involve day care providers (both licensed and unlicensed). In New York State, we are aware of four SBS deaths involving day care providers in the last nine months.
In June, the Governor's office announced that the State would mail all day care providers information about the "Back to Sleep" campaign to reduce SIDS deaths in day care setting. In response to the Skipper Initiative's request that the mailing also include information on preventing SBS injuries (such as the State of Michigan did when it mailed a special SBS alert to 22,000 licensed day care providers in March of this year) the Governor's office is looking into the possibility of a coordinated mailing.
For more information please contact:
The Child Abuse Prevention Center (845) 454-0595
The Skipper Initiative (845) 297-4779
George Lithco (845) 778-2121
Or e-mail SkipperVigil@Yahoo.com.
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