[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6070 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6070

 To enhance Federal efforts focused on increasing public awareness of 
      the risks and dangers associated with Shaken Baby Syndrome.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 14, 2006

  Mrs. Kelly introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To enhance Federal efforts focused on increasing public awareness of 
      the risks and dangers associated with Shaken Baby Syndrome.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) There are unfortunately many incidents that exemplify 
        the abuse that children suffer across all 50 states--becoming 
        victims of Shaken Baby Syndrome. One such incident involves 8-
        month-old Cynthia Gibbs, of Yonkers, New York, who on November 
        17, 2000, died of massive brain damage. Cynthia's abuser and 
        killer was her own State-certified child care provider 
        operating child care services out of her home. Another involves 
        11-month-old George ``Skipper'' Lithco of Poughkeepsie, New 
        York, who died on December 3, 2000, from brain injuries he 
        suffered when he was shaken by his day care provider--a 51-
        year-old grandmother who said she lost control when he spit up 
        on her and cried during his afternoon feeding.
            (2) The most recent National Child Abuse and Neglect Data 
        System figures reveal that almost 900,000 children were victims 
        of abuse and neglect in the United States in 2002, causing 
        unspeakable pain and suffering to our most vulnerable citizens.
            (3) Among the children who are victims of abuse and 
        neglect, nearly 4 children die in the United States each day.
            (4) Children aged 1 year or younger accounted for 41.2 
        percent of all child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2002, and 
        children aged 4 years or younger accounted for 76.1 percent of 
        all child abuse and neglect fatalities in 2002.
            (5) Abusive head trauma, including the trauma known as 
        ``Shaken Baby Syndrome'', is recognized as the leading cause of 
        death of physically abused children.
            (6) Shaken Baby Syndrome can result in loss of vision, 
        brain damage, paralysis, seizures, or death.
            (7) A 2003 report in the Journal of the American Medical 
        Association estimated that, in the United States, an average of 
        300 children will die each year, and 600 to 1,200 more will be 
        injured, of whom 2/3 will be babies or infants under 1 year in 
        age, as a result of Shaken Baby Syndrome, with many cases 
        resulting in severe and permanent disabilities.
            (8) Medical professionals believe that thousands of 
        additional cases of Shaken Baby Syndrome are being misdiagnosed 
        or are not detected.
            (9) Shaken Baby Syndrome often results in permanent, 
        irreparable brain damage or death to an infant and may result 
        in more than $1,000,000 in medical costs to care for a single, 
        disabled child in just the first few years of life.
            (10) The most effective solution for ending Shaken Baby 
        Syndrome is to prevent the abuse, and it is clear that the 
        minimal costs of education and prevention programs may prevent 
        enormous medical and disability costs and immeasurable amounts 
        of grief for many families.
            (11) Prevention programs have demonstrated that educating 
        new parents about the danger of shaking young children and how 
        they can help protect their child from injury can bring about a 
        significant reduction in the number of cases of Shaken Baby 
        Syndrome. This is further evidenced in work completed by the 
        Upstate New York SBS Prevention Project, which resulted in a 47 
        percent reduction in the number of shaking and subsequent 
        inflicted head injuries in the Buffalo, New York, region.
            (12) Education programs have been shown to raise awareness 
        and provide critically important information about Shaken Baby 
        Syndrome to parents, care givers, daycare workers, child 
        protection employees, law enforcement personnel, health care 
        professionals, and legal representatives.
            (13) Efforts to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome are supported 
        by organizations across the United States whose mission it is 
        to make aware, educate, and support the general public and 
        professionals about Shaken Baby Syndrome, as well as increase 
        support for victims and the families of victims.

SEC. 3. EDUCATION AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
develop and implement an effective ongoing public information and 
educational campaign to inform the public, in general, and new parents, 
child care providers, and other care givers of young children, in 
particular, about brain injuries and other harmful effects that may 
result from shaking infants and children under 5 years of age and 
healthy strategies to cope with a crying baby and related 
frustrations--all to help protect children from injury.
    (b) Elements.--The program under subsection (a) shall include at 
least the following elements:
            (1) Educational and informational materials in print, 
        audio, video, electronic and other media which should be 
        coordinated with national and Federal awareness activities, 
        such as Shaken Baby Awareness Week, to the extent possible.
            (2) Public service announcements and advertisements.
            (3) Dissemination of effective prevention practices and 
        techniques to parents and care givers, and to maternity 
        hospitals, child care centers, organizations providing prenatal 
        and postnatal care, and organizations providing parenting 
        education and support services.
    (c) Meetings With Advocacy Community.--The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, working with all relevant components, shall establish 
biannual meetings with Shaken Baby Syndrome advocacy groups, parenting 
support communities, organizations involved in child protection and 
child maltreatment prevention, and other Federal and State agencies 
that are or should be involved in prevention activities, including the 
Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
    (d) Support for Parents of Surviving Children.--The Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, along with its components, the Shaken Baby 
Syndrome advocacy community, parenting support communities, 
organizations involved in child protection and child maltreatment 
prevention, as well as professional associations and institutions 
involved in medical research and treatment shall work to provide 
effective support for the parents of surviving children who suffer 
serious brain injuries as the result of shaking, especially during the 
traumatic period immediately following the shaking event, when parents 
most need support.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act 
$5,000,000 for fiscal year 2007.
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