The Review, Vol. 6, Issue 2 (Apr.-June 2008)

April-June 2008

Quarterly Newsletter

s

Volume 6, Issue 2

"The Review" Off ice of Child Fatality Review

CFR Coroner and CFR County of the Year Winners!!
At the Building Successful Teams Conference held in Atlanta on March 18-20, we acknowledged the winners of the CFR Coroner of the Year and CFR County Committee of the Year. Congratulations to Grover Tuten of Richmond County and to the Cherokee County CFR Committee! Photos of the winners at the conference are available online.

Grover Tuten and the Richmond County Coroner's office have exemplified great professionalism in working through the challenges related to having a large children's hospital located in the center of the county. The Richmond County Coroner's office receives reports of many deaths among children who are not residents of the county, yet Grover's team continuesto find ways to cross county lines to provide accurate information on these cases to others. The group is always easy to work with, which makes the system work better for everyone. Grover is a great example of a team player and encourages his deputy coroners to do the same.

The Cherokee County CFR committee has established a driver safety program (PRIDE) for teens. When they had a rash of teen driving deaths, two of their members went to PRIDE training to become instructors at their own expense. They have also attended festivals and other events to distribute literature on infant bed-sharing and SIDS. This committee has gone above and beyond to work on prevention.

I
1

April is ChildAbuse Prevention Month (by: Dolores Hayner, DFCS Family Violence ~ n i o

I I I

We are all guilty, to some degree, of framing child sexual abuse as a public hazard. However, it is not the strange man that strikes in the middle of the night or the strange woman befriending your children on the playground who are committing these acts. As much as 93% of child

1 i

sexual abuse is perpetrated by someone that is known to the victim, meaning we know them

1

as well. As parents and caretakers, there may not be much that we can do to control the

1

stranger in the dark. But, we can pay attention to warning signs of inappropriate adultlchild

I
I

and childlchild contact that happens in our lives everyday.

I

In Georgia, sexual abuse is defined as a form of child maltreatment in which contacts or interactions (such as fondling, sodomy, penetration) occur between a child under 18 and the

1

parent or caretaker, during which the child is being used for the sexual stimulation of that

adult or another person. Sexual abuse may be committed by a person under the age of 18

,

, when the person is either significantlyolder or when the abuser is in a position of power or

I
i

control over another child.

CFR COTY Winners! 1

i
I

Despite the grim realities of child sexual abuse, we have neither shown public outrage nor

have we supported a persistent movement to prevent it. Before we begin to tackle the effects April Awareness

1

I

of child sexual abuse, we must begin to accept that it is our mothers, fathers, relatives, sitters,

and other close relations that are committing these acts and hold them accountable. Now is New Prevention Staff 2

the time to stand up and acknowledge how extensively child sexual abuse is occurring.

Volunteer Accolades! 2

I

Acknowledge There Is a Problem - Child sexual abuse is happening all around us. We

,

must accept that it is happening, and recognize that it is happening to those who we care

Annual Report Online 2

!

about most

Panel Profile Page 3

Promote Primary Prevention - We receive a wealth of information on "stranger danger"

I.

without balancing it with information on setting appropriateboundaries within our family Welcome Malaika! 3

I
I

nucleus, information on how to address inappropriate adultlchild interactions, and informa-

o

tion on healthy relationships

Efforts

n 3

New Prevention Specialist Position Added to CFR Stafl!
The Office of Child Fatality Review has added a new staff position: Child Fatality Prevention Specialist. Program Manager Arleymah Raheem has excitedly agreed to fill the role: "I'm very excited to have this opportunity to move further in the prevention work of CFR. I think it's a great time right now, with the county prevention plans being developed and the statewide child injury prevention plan headed to the Capitol, when we can capitalize on the momentum and really push for meaningful changes. I'm very proud that I've had the chance to work closely with county teams for investigation, review and reporting of child deaths, but now we get to take these recommendations a step further. We have worked for many years to bring the state to a higher level of reporting compliance, and now that we have accomplished that, it's time for the next step."
The new Child Fatality Prevention Specialist will work intensively with counties to implement proven prevention strategies for those issues that are relevant to the local teams. Working in close partnership with the CFR teams, local government leaders, and the business community, Arleymah will assist counties in moving their prevention plans from theory to action. Targeted prevention programs will be developed from existing evidence-based strategies, and Arleymah will assist county teams in obtaining media support, funding and commitments for sustaining the programs. County teams who are interested in participating in this targeted prevention program should contact Arleymah Raheem at 770-528-3995 or by email at araheem@dhr.state.ga.us. Team members should first complete the Prevention Readiness Assessment survey available on the CFR website (www.gacfi-.dhr.neornia.gov), and make sure they have the support of their local government and other partners in prevention. The Prevention Readiness Assessment is a short needs assessment designed to gather important information about your community prevention resources and those areas of interest for prevention efforts. Because every community has different issues and concerns relating to child injury and safety, this needs assessment allows us to identify those areas of concern and work within your community to make a change. We are very excited to offer this tool to assist you in your planning process, and look forward to working with you to prevent child fatalities!
Accolades for Retired and Senior VolunteerProgram (RSVP)!
Have you ever pondered how our office is able to accomplish delivery of such a largely circulated newsletter - right to your doorstep? Well, we invite you to join us in extending our sincerest appreciation for the services provided to our office, by the Cobb RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) Senior Corps chapter of the Corporation for Na-
tional and Community Services - Georgia. During the last quarter of 2007, the group began volunteering at our office.
Their reliable service has proven to be indispensable in the preparation of our 2,000-piece mass mailings, maintenance of office files, and much more. And although they may not realize it, their wisdom has also proven to be a wonderful source of mentoring which is truly appreciated by our staff! We enjoy the wonderful company and strong work ethic of our volunteer staff, and we encourage all of our local committees to pursue volunteer service assistance for your work projects as well. The benefits to your program will be immeasurable.
Annual Report Available Online
Information from the 2005 Annual Report is now posted on our website (www.nacfr.dhr.neornia.nov). Each CFR member should have received a copy of the Executive Summary Report, a brief data compilation of those child deaths that occurred in 2005. As many of you know, the delay in receiving death certificates (which are used as a reliable data source) has prohibited OCFR from publishing our annual report within the usual timeframe. For this reason, it is our hope to provide you with a two-year report in December 2008, which would provide full analyses of those child deaths occurring in 2006-2007.
In addition, OCFR staff will begin training for all CFR committee members in April 2008. To assist those who are new to the CFR process, the OCFR staff will also provide online training modules (available sometime in April) to assist new CFR members in understanding the basic roles and responsibilities on the committee. This "beginner training" opportunity will allow those who are new to or unfamiliar with CFR to know more about agency membership, eligible child deaths, the CFR reporting form, and how to develop a successful prevention recommendation. The online training will not replace or substitute for the remlar training class, but will give some of you a chance to "catch up" and understand more advanced data and investigation tools once in the class. Check the CFR website for more information.

CFR Panel Proflie Page

VernonKeenan, Director - GA Bureau of Investigation

Vernon Keenan has been a member of the Georgia Child Fatality Review Panel since being named Director of GBI in 2003. He entered law enforcement in 1972 as a uniformed patrolman for DeKalb County Police Department. In 1973, he became a GBI Special Agent assigned to northwest Georgia. During his career at GBI, he has been promoted to every sworn rank in the agency, and now manages an agency of 789 employees and a budget of $89.3 million.

Before joining the Panel, Director Keenan read every Annual Report published by the Panel and was therefore very familiar with the work and the mission of the Panel. He feels that the review process gives an edge to law enforcement in preventing child fatalities across the state. The review process to determine cause and manner of death is extremely important to both state and local law enforcement. When asked what he would communicate to county review teams, Director Keenan says, "I hope the members know that the review process is not just a state mandate or a bureaucratic process, and these findings are vitally important to child welfare in the state of Georgia." He goes on to say, "The annual reports are very informative and beneficial to policymakers at both the state and local level."

When it comes to preventing child deaths, Director Keenan says that state and local law enforcement are committed to implementing measures to counteract the child fatality risks outlined in the Annual Report. He says, "The GBI strongly supports the Child Fatality Review Panel. I would like to encourage all Panel members to remain committed to the child fatality review process and to the prevention and investigation of child abuse."
Please Welcome Our New Program Manager!
Malaika Shakir has recently joined the CFR staff as Program Manager and now serves as the contact person for all training and technical assistance issues to all counties in the western region. Malaika comes to us with a wealth of dedication and experience. After attaining her masters degree in social work from Georgia State University, she worked with Fulton County Department of Family and Children Services, serving in several capacities, including: social services specialist in the child protective services division, Special Investigations where she conducted investigations involving child fatalities, serious injuries, and maltreatment issues, and Social Services Supervisor. She is a very passionate advocate for children and families who brings a strong sense of enthusiasm and diligence to her new position!

National Prevention Efforts in 2008
For a wonderful display of fire safety awareness and prevention, please visit the Today Show website at htt~:l/todav.msnbc.msn.com/idl121345401 ~/23348652#23348652I.n February 2008, the show followed a family with three children who were viewed at night to see if they awoke when the smoke alarm was activated. The parents felt strongly that the children were aware of the fire safety procedures and would respond appropriately upon hearing the alarm. They were stunned when the alarm failed to wake the children after more than 20 minutes of blaring. We applaud the Today Show and the Home Safety Council for highlighting the need for better awareness and training of fire safety with young children.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announces a product recall: Munire Furniture, Inc., recalls the Majestic Curved Top and Flat Top Cribs, Essex Cribs, BrightonISussex Cribs, and Captiva Cribs. These wooden cribs with manufacture dates between November 1,2005 and November 1, 2007 are subject to the recall because they fail to meet the federal safety standards for cribs. Please call the Recall Hotline at (866) 586-9639 for more information.
The CPSC also issued a warning to avoid crowded cribs and ill-fitting mattresses, linking these to infant deaths. They advise that cribs should be free of adult pillows and blankets, stuffed animals and baby quilts. They also warn against gaps between the crib and the mattress, recommending a space no larger than two fingers at any point between the sides of the crib and the mattress.

Do you have a great program or idea that you want to share? Let us know and share your story with others! We look forward to hearing from you!

Together Everyone Achieves More

1

Please submit your stories of success or other ideas by June 13,2008 to: The Office of Child Fatality Review 506 Roswell Street, Suite 230 Marietta, Georgia 30060
Phone: (770)528-3988 Fax: (770)528-3989 www.~acfr.dhr.g;eorgia.g;ov

Upcoming Events

April 10-13,2008: Cribs for Kids Annual Conference in Ongoing 2008: stop ~tNOW!Georgia, a program of Pre-

Pittsburgh, PA. This conference will address the importance vent Child Abuse Georgia, is hosting several eee trainings

of safe sleep environment and consistent, coding of sudden to empower families and co-mities to prevent sexual

unexplained infant deaths. (www.cribsforkids.or&

abuse of children. Please email info(ii>,stopitnowga.orgfor

more information. April 13-15,2008: Lifesavers (The National Conference on

Highway Safety Priorities) in Portland, OR. This conference ~ u l y13-15,2008: Prevent Child Abuse Georgia is holding

brings together public and private supporters of highway safety improvement. (www.1ifesaversconference.org;)

their 24th Annual Symposium on "the power of prevention" at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia in Atlanta. Visit their

website for more information and to register. May 2008: Georgia Alliance for Drug Endangered Children

is offering training opportunities on the DEC Guidelines in

multiple locations. (email to: gadec@georgiadec.orn)

CFR Deadlines and Timelines
All county fatality review reports for child deaths that occurred in 2007 should be submitted online by July 2008. The online reporting form can be found on our website at www.gacfr.dhr.georg;ia.aov. If you have any problems using the CFR online reporting system or if you need more information to complete your committee reviews, please contact the Office at 770-528-3988. We encourage all CFR teams to work together on their county prevention plans. Many counties began work on their Plan during the 2007 CFR training classes. This Plan will provide your committee with step-by-step guidelines to implement and sustain child injury and fatality prevention. If you have questions about your Prevention Plan, or need assistance developing prevention ideas and programs, please call our Office at 770-528-3988.
****** If you would like to receive this newsletter in your email inbox, or if you would prefer to access
the newsletter on our website, please contact the Office to remove yourself from the mailing list*****

'Lhzebmg outfor PrevenKmrm

I

.I
i
I

Office of Child Fatality Review
506 Roswell Street, Suite 230 Marietta Georgia, 30060

!

Phone: 770.528.3988 Fax: 770.528.3989

Website: www.aacfr.dhr.~eoraia.aov

U.S. POSTAGE P A D PERMIT#292
MrnTTA,GA

I n an effort tofacilitate information sharing, w e have developed this newsletter to bring u s closer. Knowing that our goal i s the protection of children and the prevention of child deaths, w e want to include your experiences and ideas to improve the quality of services w e provide. Please contact us with any suggestions on how to make the
'I
Office of Child Fatality Review process helpful t o you.
Go Team!