[Mo-facs] H.R. 6070 SHAKEN BABY PREVENTION ACT -- We need your help!

[Carla Sandwell]

Dear Friends:

 

Darryl Gibbs, of Yonkers, NY and I have teamed up as parents of a Shaken
Baby Syndrome non-survivor & survivor (respectively) to get the "Shaken Baby
Prevention Act" passed through U.S. Legislature.   

 

We both know the extreme pain and suffering or death SBS/SIS (Shaken Impact
Syndrome) causes the victims along with the grieving for the families
involved and increased rates of divorce.  Many marriages that have lasted 7
years or better collapse because either one of the spouses was the
perpetrator or the couple can not sustain an intimate relationship due to
the loss of trust and faith by another perpetrator.  Both of us know that
pain of loss of trust of others.

 

The House bill is NOW ON THOMAS! See below or go to www.thomas.gov
<http://www.thomas.gov/>  to retrieve it directly.  Rep. Sue Kelly (NY)
introduced it last Thursday.  We especially need calls to US Rep. Roy Blunt
for those of you in the Springfield area.  Please contact your US
Legislator.

 

Sen. Dodd of Connecticut is expected to introduce the companion bill soon,
if he hasn't already.  We expected it last Friday actually.  Darryl phoned
late this evening to share some more exciting news for me.   I'm currently
working with Kara in Sen. Bond's office on co-sponsoring the bill.  Sen.
Bond has been a huge supporter of Shaken Baby Syndrome education & awareness
for Missouri and I am very grateful!  

 

In the interim, I'm asking you to please put on your "private citizen" or
"Medical Field" hat to share this information with all concerned about the
prevention of SBS and Shaken Impact Syndrome to help get calls into your US
legislators.  I know that some of you may not be able to due to your current
position and I respect that greatly.  Please delete this e-mail if it will
cause you potential issues.  

 

If you plan to call, please let them know that you are a constituent and
that you're very concerned about promoting healthy babies and children.
This past week alone the media reported 4 cases of SBS in the state.  Many,
many of them go unreported to the media and I anticipate that perhaps that
number could be at least 3 more.

 <http://www.loc.gov/> 

No child or family deserves to go through what Darryl, Cynthia, Bennett, and
I have along with our family members other victims.

 

Thank you for taking your time to read this lengthy e-mail.  If you would
like to stay posted on the progress, please let me know.  

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Carla & Bennett Sandwell

Mother & Self-Advocate for the prevention of SBS & SIS
<http://thomas.loc.gov/> 

HR 6070 IH 

109th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 6070

To enhance Federal efforts focused on increasing public awareness of the
risks and dangers associated with Shaken Baby Syndrome. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES


September 14, 2006


Mrs. KELLY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce 

---

A BILL

To enhance Federal efforts focused on increasing public awareness of the
risks and dangers associated with Shaken Baby Syndrome. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.


This Act may be cited as the `Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention Act'.


SEC. 2. FINDINGS.


The Congress finds as follows:

(1) There are unfortunately many incidents that exemplify the abuse that
children suffer across all 50 states--becoming victims of Shaken Baby
Syndrome. One such incident involves 8-month-old Cynthia Gibbs, of Yonkers,
New York, who on November 17, 2000, died of massive brain damage. Cynthia's
abuser and killer was her own State-certified child care provider operating
child care services out of her home. Another involves 11-month-old George
`Skipper' Lithco of Poughkeepsie, New York, who died on December 3, 2000,
from brain injuries he suffered when he was shaken by his day care
provider--a 51-year-old grandmother who said she lost control when he spit
up on her and cried during his afternoon feeding.

(2) The most recent National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System figures
reveal that almost 900,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect in the
United States in 2002, causing unspeakable pain and suffering to our most
vulnerable citizens.

(3) Among the children who are victims of abuse and neglect, nearly 4
children die in the United States each day.

(4) Children aged 1 year or younger accounted for 41.2 percent of all child
abuse and neglect fatalities in 2002, and children aged 4 years or younger
accounted for 76.1 percent of all child abuse and neglect fatalities in
2002.

(5) Abusive head trauma, including the trauma known as `Shaken Baby
Syndrome', is recognized as the leading cause of death of physically abused
children.

(6) Shaken Baby Syndrome can result in loss of vision, brain damage,
paralysis, seizures, or death.

(7) A 2003 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association
estimated that, in the United States, an average of 300 children will die
each year, and 600 to 1,200 more will be injured, of whom 2/3 will be babies
or infants under 1 year in age, as a result of Shaken Baby Syndrome, with
many cases resulting in severe and permanent disabilities.

(8) Medical professionals believe that thousands of additional cases of
Shaken Baby Syndrome are being misdiagnosed or are not detected.

(9) Shaken Baby Syndrome often results in permanent, irreparable brain
damage or death to an infant and may result in more than $1,000,000 in
medical costs to care for a single, disabled child in just the first few
years of life.

(10) The most effective solution for ending Shaken Baby Syndrome is to
prevent the abuse, and it is clear that the minimal costs of education and
prevention programs may prevent enormous medical and disability costs and
immeasurable amounts of grief for many families.

(11) Prevention programs have demonstrated that educating new parents about
the danger of shaking young children and how they can help protect their
child from injury can bring about a significant reduction in the number of
cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome. This is further evidenced in work completed
by the Upstate New York SBS Prevention Project, which resulted in a 47
percent reduction in the number of shaking and subsequent inflicted head
injuries in the Buffalo, New York, region.

(12) Education programs have been shown to raise awareness and provide
critically important information about Shaken Baby Syndrome to parents, care
givers, daycare workers, child protection employees, law enforcement
personnel, health care professionals, and legal representatives.

(13) Efforts to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome are supported by organizations
across the United States whose mission it is to make aware, educate, and
support the general public and professionals about Shaken Baby Syndrome, as
well as increase support for victims and the families of victims.


SEC. 3. EDUCATION AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.


(a) In General- The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall develop and
implement an effective ongoing public information and educational campaign
to inform the public, in general, and new parents, child care providers, and
other care givers of young children, in particular, about brain injuries and
other harmful effects that may result from shaking infants and children
under 5 years of age and healthy strategies to cope with a crying baby and
related frustrations--all to help protect children from injury.

(b) Elements- The program under subsection (a) shall include at least the
following elements:

(1) Educational and informational materials in print, audio, video,
electronic and other media which should be coordinated with national and
Federal awareness activities, such as Shaken Baby Awareness Week, to the
extent possible.

(2) Public service announcements and advertisements.

(3) Dissemination of effective prevention practices and techniques to
parents and care givers, and to maternity hospitals, child care centers,
organizations providing prenatal and postnatal care, and organizations
providing parenting education and support services.

(c) Meetings With Advocacy Community- The Secretary of Health and Human
Services, working with all relevant components, shall establish biannual
meetings with Shaken Baby Syndrome advocacy groups, parenting support
communities, organizations involved in child protection and child
maltreatment prevention, and other Federal and State agencies that are or
should be involved in prevention activities, including the Joint Commission
on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

(d) Support for Parents of Surviving Children- The Secretary of Health and
Human Services, along with its components, the Shaken Baby Syndrome advocacy
community, parenting support communities, organizations involved in child
protection and child maltreatment prevention, as well as professional
associations and institutions involved in medical research and treatment
shall work to provide effective support for the parents of surviving
children who suffer serious brain injuries as the result of shaking,
especially during the traumatic period immediately following the shaking
event, when parents most need support.


SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.


There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $5,000,000 for
fiscal year 2007.

END

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