Children are not supposed to die and it is especially tragic when it could have been prevented. Understanding how and why a child dies is critical to identifying trends and developing effective prevention programs. The Alliance is collaborating with the State Child Fatality Review Team within the Department of Justice and with the Department of Health and Family Services to build a statewide comprehensive child death review system.

Trainings on how to establish a local child death review team at the county level are being offered regionally. These trainings are intended for medical examiners/coroners, local law enforcement, child protection, prosecutors, local public health, pediatricians and other interested parties. Teri Covington, director of the National Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Center for Child Death Review, is featured as the key trainer.

According to recent studies on primary versus secondary enforcement seat belt law, primary could save Wisconsin 73 lives and approximately $220 million annually. Primary enforcement simply means an officer may stop a vehicle for not wearing a seat belt and secondary enforcement means an officer must have another reason (other than not wearing a seat belt) to stop a vehicle, such as a broken tail light or speeding. Numerous states throughout the country have primary enforcement seat belt laws. These laws have proven to increase seat belt usage and decrease injury and death.

Perhaps you are thinking of remodeling your home. Maybe you considered hiring a certified lead-safe renovation contractor or are up for doing the job yourself. If your home was built before 1978, the year lead-based paint was banned, your home likely contains lead hazards, primarily lead paint chips and lead dust.

Contractors hired to do a job that may disturb paint on your home are required to provide you with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pamphlet, Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home, to discuss how your family will be protected during renovation and after completion clean up to ensure no lead dust hazards are left behind.

The EPA also offers a helpful booklet, Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home, outlining lead-safe work practices, clean up and equipment needed for indoor and outdoor work. The booklet includes tips on how to safely paint, replace windows, demolish walls, remove carpet, clean air ducts and more.

Review a list of certified lead-safe contractors from the state Asbestos and Lead Certification Program. Have a healthy summer and enjoy your renovations.

Last month buses across the state rolled out displaying a new public awareness campaign to end infant abandonment. The interior posters explain Wisconsin’s 6-year-old Safe Place for Newborns law. The law states that a parent may confidentially leave his/her unharmed newborn at any hospital in the state within three days of birth without prosecution. Due to the success of the law, already over 30 newborns have been saved. In addition, no newborns have been found abandoned in Wisconsin in over 1 1/2 years.
 
The non-profit Safe Place for Newborns of Wisconsin is the only organization that raises awareness of the law. Awareness efforts impact three lives: the birthmother who will be allowed to carry on with her life and not face prison; the newborn who will have a future filled with love and support; and the adoptive family who will cherish this baby.

Safe Place for Newborns has posters, brochures, magnets and more that explain the law and offer a toll-free number (877) 440-2229 for more information. Individuals and communities are invited to e-mail the state office or call (608) 225-5544 for these tools and other ideas on making their neighborhood a safe place for newborns.