Thursday, February 13, 2014
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
Two state lawmakers are introducing a bipartisan package of bills aimed at reducing the number of Ohio babies who die before their first birthday.
State Sens. Shannon Jones of Springboro, R-7th, and Charleta Tavares of Columbus, D-15th, hope to draw attention to the problem of infant mortality in the state and help women, particularly those living in poverty, to access services to ensure they and their newborns are healthy.
“Right now, Ohio is coming in nearly last in the nation for infant mortality, which is an unacceptable standard,” Jones said in a released statement. “We lose too many babies in Ohio before they reach their first birthday, and many of these cases can be prevented with proper training and education. Today, we are launching a statewide effort designed to engage community leaders, health-care professionals and families on how we can all be a part of the solution to this heartbreaking problem.”
According to information compiled by the two lawmakers, Ohio ranks 48th in the country in the number of infants who die before their first birthday. Some 1,045 babies died within 12 months of birth in 2012.
Jones, who serves as chairwoman of the Senate Medicaid, Health and Human Service Committee, and Tavares, a member of that panel, earlier this session moved SB 198, which designated October at Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month.
That legislation included provisions encouraging coroners and investigators to report the sudden deaths of apparently healthy infants to health officials.
Among new legislation being offered by Jones and Tavares is a bill that would require reporting of such deaths.
Other legislation unveiled by the two lawmakers would include Medicaid coverage for certain nonmedical postpartum services to eligible families, establish a two-year pilot project to provide further assistance through federally qualified health centers, create an infant-mortality commission to study state services and related issues and require additional information be provided to new parents about safe sleeping positions for babies.
The five bills were introduced formally in the Senate on Wednesday and will be subject to future committee hearings.