Greene County team trying to halt child deaths
The Greene County Child Death Review Team ventured out on its own this year in its role to help find ways of preventing child deaths and injuries. County Children and Youth Services staff members provided an update on the review team Thursday after the county commissioners passed a proclamation declaring April as Child Abuse Awareness Month.
Pan Snyder, chairwoman of the commissioners, said she has been taking a keen interest in child issues lately because her daughter is pregnant.
She read a recent report that said pacifiers help prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
CYS caseworker Mary Jo Ullom said the review team meets quarterly to review the death certificates the county receives from the state.
Along with CYS staff, the multidiscipline team is comprised of a pediatrician, the county coroner, mental health professionals, social workers, representatives from all police agencies in the county, paramedics, 911 officials and county human service representatives.
Ullom said a state law mandated such review teams in 1994 and Greene and Fayette counties formed a joint review team in 1997.
CYS intake supervisor Dawn Machinak said an independent team was formed in Greene County this year.
“Why are we not doing this on our own?” Ullom said. “There are enough people here who want to participate.”
The team met in March and will meet again on May 31, Machinak said.
Ullom said the confidential reviews focus on trying to stop trends that result in child injuries and deaths rather than individual incidents.
“The goal is to find patterns where the system may have been weak,” Ullom said.
As an example, she said the team found that the area has had more than its share of toddlers drowning or getting hurt in inflatable backyard swimming pools.
“Toddlers fall in and can’t get out,” Ullom said.
She said reviews of Greene County cases led to proposed legislation that would require fencing around in-home day care centers.
Other reviews have resulted in a “Cribs for Kids” grant program aimed at preventing infant rollover deaths, Ollum said.