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Introduced Version Senate Bill 484 History

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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
Senate Bill No. 484

(By Senators Wiedebusch, Helmick, Love, Scott and Ross)

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[Introduced March 24, 1997; referred to the Committee
on Health and Human Resources.]
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A BILL to amend chapter sixteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated article twenty-two-a, relating to establishing the West Virginia birth score program; detecting children at high risk for postneonatal mortality, debilitating conditions and developmental delays; and legislative intent.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That chapter sixteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new article, designated article twenty-two-a, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 22A. BIRTH SCORE PROGRAM.
§16-22A-1.
Legislative findings; intent; purpose.

The Legislature hereby finds that until 1984, West Virginia had one of the highest rates of postneonatal mortality in the United States, which is defined as infants dying between one month and one year of age. In the early 1980s, studies in West Virginia showed that infants at greatest risk of dying during the first year after birth had poor attendance at regular physician visits and often received minimal health care. The system for assessing infants at risk for postneonatal mortality, debilitating conditions and developmental delays was erratic and many West Virginia physicians were poorly trained about risk assessment. Uniform guidelines for at-risk infants to enter care did not exist.
In 1985, the Birth Scoring System, a cooperative effort between the division of health and the West Virginia University department of pediatrics was initiated. The goals of the scoring system are: (1) To identify newborns at greatest risk for death between one month and one year of age; and (2) to link high risk infants with physicians for close follow-up during the first year of life. Since inception, the birth scoring system has been expanded to identifying and linking infants at risk for debilitating conditions and developmental delays with necessary and available services.
With the success of the birth scoring system at reducing postneonatal mortality rates in the state, it is the intention of the Legislature to establish the birth score system as a universal, preventive program to be enacted at the delivery of each newborn in the state. The purpose of this article is to ensure that all of the state's birthing hospitals and facilities adopt and implement this prevention program.
§16-22A-2.
Birth score program established.

The state division of health is hereby authorized to establish and carry out a birth score program designed to combat postneonatal mortality and to detect debilitating conditions and possible developmental delays in newborn infants in the state. The division may propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code which are necessary to carry out the program. The purpose of scoring is to reduce the incidence of postneonatal mortality and disease by: (1) Identifying newborns at greatest risk for death between one month and one year of age; and (2) linking these infants with physicians for close follow-up during the first year of life.
Birth scoring shall be carried out by trained hospital or birthing facility personnel immediately after an infant is delivered.
§16-22A-3.
Birth scoring process.

(a) Any hospital or birthing facility in which an infant is born, any physician attending the infant, or any other person attending the infant if not under the care of a physician, shall require and ensure that the infant is scored for its level of risk for postneonatal mortality, debilitating conditions and developmental delays. Any infant delivered at a nonlicensed facility, including, but not limited to home births, shall be scored by its primary physician within ten days of birth.
When any infant is determined to be a high score, parents shall be informed and then linked with a local primary care physician for a recommended six visits in the first six months of the infant's life.
(b) The state division of health, in cooperation with other state departments and agencies, may provide necessary medical and other referrals for services related to infants determined to be at high risk for postneonatal mortality and other debilitating conditions and developmental delays as specified by the state public health commissioner.
(c) The state public health commissioner may, with the approval of the secretary of the department of health and human resources, propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to implement the provisions of this section.



NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to establish the Birth Score Program to detect children at high risk for postneonatal mortality, debilitating conditions and developmental delays.

This article is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.
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