State Codes and Statutes
Statutes >
Iowa >
Title-4 >
Subtitle-2 >
Chapter-135 >
135-119
135.119 SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME PREVENTION PROGRAM.
1. For the purposes of this section:
a. "Birth center" and "birthing hospital" mean the same
as defined in section 135.131.
b. "Child care provider" means the same as a child care
facility, as defined in section 237A.1, that is providing child care
to a child who is newborn through age three.
c. "Family support program" means a program offering
instruction and support for families in which home visitation is the
primary service delivery mechanism.
d. "Parent" means the same as "custodian",
"guardian", or "parent", as defined in section 232.2, of a
child who is newborn through age three.
e. "Person responsible for the care of a child" means the
same as defined in section 232.68, except that it is limited to
persons responsible for the care of a child who is newborn through
age three.
f. "Shaken baby syndrome" means the collection of signs and
symptoms resulting from the vigorous shaking of a child who is three
years of age or younger. Shaken baby syndrome may result in bleeding
inside the child's head and may cause one or more of the following
conditions: irreversible brain damage; blindness, retinal
hemorrhage, or eye damage; cerebral palsy; hearing loss; spinal cord
injury, including paralysis; seizures; learning disability; central
nervous system injury; closed head injury; rib fracture; subdural
hematoma; or death. Shaken baby syndrome also includes the symptoms
included in the diagnosis code for shaken infant syndrome utilized by
Iowa hospitals.
2. a. The department shall establish a statewide shaken baby
syndrome prevention program to educate parents and persons
responsible for the care of a child about the dangers to children
three years of age or younger caused by shaken baby syndrome and to
discuss ways to reduce the syndrome's risks. The program plan shall
allow for voluntary participation by parents and persons responsible
for the care of a child.
b. The program plan shall describe strategies for preventing
shaken baby syndrome by providing education and support to parents
and persons responsible for the care of a child and shall identify
multimedia resources, written materials, and other resources that can
assist in providing the education and support.
c. The department shall consult with experts with experience
in child abuse prevention, child health, and parent education in
developing the program plan.
d. The program plan shall incorporate a multiyear,
collaborative approach for implementation of the plan. The plan
shall address how to involve those who regularly work with parents
and persons responsible for the care of a child, including but not
limited to child abuse prevention programs, child care resource and
referral programs, child care providers, family support programs,
programs receiving funding through the community empowerment
initiative, public and private schools, health care providers, local
health departments, birth centers, and birthing hospitals.
e. The program plan shall identify the methodology to be used
for improving the tracking of shaken baby syndrome incidents and for
evaluating the effectiveness of the plan's education and support
efforts.
f. The program plan shall describe how program results will
be reported.
g. The program plan may provide for implementation of the
program through a contract with a private agency or organization
experienced in furnishing the services set forth in the program plan.
3. The department shall implement the program plan to the extent
of the amount appropriated or made available for the program for a
fiscal year. Section History: Recent Form
2009 Acts, ch 7, §1
