South Carolina Kids Count
Child Deaths
Abuse
Prevent Child Abuse South Carolina
Lynne Taylor, Ph.D.
803-733-5430
ltaylor@pcasc.org
Child Deaths
Fire
L.L.R., Office of Fire Marshall
Sondra Senn, Manager of Public Fire Education and Data Management
803-896-9865
senns@llr.sc.gov
Child Deaths & Teen Deaths
Motor Vehicle Crashes
S.C. SAFE KIDS
Ree Mallison, State Director
803-796-3080
rmallison@scha.org
Teen Deaths
Suicide & Homicide
S.C. Dept. of Health and Environmental Control
Robert Carlton , Director of Youth Development
803-898-0302
carltorl@dhec.sc.gov
Low Birthweight & Infant Mortality
March of Dimes
Karen Waldrop, Director of Public Services
803-252-5200
kwaldrop@marchofdimes.com
Low Birthweight & Infant Mortality
S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control
Luanne Miles, Director, Division of Perinatal Systems
803-898-0727
mileslb@dhec.sc.gov
All Children
Dr. Caughman Taylor
Vice President, American Academy of Pediatrics, S.C. Chapter
803-434-7945
Caughman.taylor@palmettohealth.org
All Children
Voices for SC's Children
Sue Oliver, Executive Director
803-256-4670
soliver@scchildren.org
Child Deaths - Abuse
"How many child abuse deaths are we willing to accept? 10 per year? 20? 30? That's the direction we are headed. The answer is zero. We must adequately fund and expertly manage our child protection systems to benefit every single South Carolina child. We must invest in prevention to not only stop abuse but to see that our children grow up in the loving, nurturing homes they deserve. Our state budget is inadequate and unacceptable: it does not provide the bare minimum to the Department of Social Services to protect the children who are at greatest risk of harm. We can and must do so much more for the children who need us the most." -Lynne Taylor, Executive Director, Prevent Child Abuse South Carolina
Child Deaths - Fire
"A working smoke alarm more than doubles your chances of surviving a fire. There is no excuse to live in a home without one - it's just too big of a chance to take. Citizens should contact their local fire departments to ask if they offer free smoke alarms." -Sondra Senn, Manager of Public Fire Education and Data Management, Office of the State Fire
Marshal
Child and Teen Deaths - Motor Vehicle Crashes
"We can significantly reduce the number of motor vehicle deaths for children and teens in South Carolina if we could just do two things: pass a primary seat belt law and ensure funding for enough law enforcement officers." -Ree Mallison, State Director, South Carolina SAFE KIDS
Teen Deaths - Suicide
"Completed and attempted suicides continue to be a preventable public health issue for SC's children and youth. Within a typical high school classroom, it is likely that three students have made a suicide attempt in the past year. Assuring increased access to mental health services both in schools and in communities should help reduce these alarming numbers. Increased training of parents, teachers and youth workers on recognizing the signs and symptoms of depression and suicide is critical." -Robert L. Carlton, MSW, LMSW, Adolescent Health Consultant Director of Youth Development, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control
Low Birthweight and Infant Mortality
"These sobering statistics should be a wake-up call to everyone that we have to find answers to the problem of premature birth in South Carolina. We don't know whose baby will be next." -Karen Waldrop, Director of Public Services, March of Dimes
Low Birthweight and Infant Mortality
"Families in South Carolina too often experience the birth of a child born too early and too small, which puts the baby at risk of not living to celebrate its first birthday or living with health, developmental and learning problems," said Luanne Miles, Director of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control's Division of Perinatal Systems. "Early and regular prenatal care is important, but making sure women pay attention to their health and make changes in their behaviors before they get pregnant may be the most critical need we face."
All Children
"The 2004 Kids Count numbers suggest that while South Carolina is progressing in improving the number of overall deaths to children, we are not progressing as rapidly as other states. If we want to give our children the same level of well being that children in other states enjoy, South Carolina will have to work smarter by addressing issues of prevention, such as the preventing teen pregnancy; ensuring all women receive prenatal care; and providing adequate access to health care services for all children." -Dr. Caughman Taylor, Vice President of the American Academy of Pediatrics, South Carolina Chapter
All Children
"In light of the latest Kids Count findings, it is now more important than ever that we work together and raise our voice as advocates on behalf of children. Prevention through creating awareness and influencing policy change that can make our state safer for children is the responsibility of all South Carolinians. Children are dying unnecessarily in South Carolina and if we don't speak up for them who will?" - Sue Oliver, Executive Director, Voices for South Carolina's
Children