SENATE MEMORIAL 68

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Dede Feldman

A MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF A NEW MEXICO BIRTH DEFECTS SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM AND DECLARING MARCH 10, 2011 "MARCH OF DIMES DAY" IN THE SENATE.

     WHEREAS, birth defects are the leading cause of infant death and a major cause of pediatric hospitalizations in the nation; and

     WHEREAS, birth defects are common, costly and challenging for parents and society, and some birth defects are preventable; and

     WHEREAS, birth defects are a leading cause of infant mortality in New Mexico, accounting for twenty-six percent of infant deaths in the state; and

     WHEREAS, each year in New Mexico, approximately six hundred infants, or about one infant out of every forty-five births, are born with a major birth defect and another thirty to forty infants are born with congenital hearing loss; and

     WHEREAS, the incidence of cleft lip and palate in New Mexico is rapidly increasing; and

     WHEREAS, children with conditions such as these often require additional health care and other services to support their growth and development; and

     WHEREAS, babies born with birth defects have a greater chance of illness and long-term disability than babies without birth defects; and

     WHEREAS, identifying these children early in their lives enhances the opportunity for them to receive the medical care and early intervention services they need; and

     WHEREAS, since 2000, birth defects have been a reportable condition in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico birth defects registry was initially established in 1995 in the family health bureau of the department of health and was supported by federal and state funding until 2005; and

     WHEREAS, there is currently no state or other funding to support the activity required to maintain the birth defects registry; and

     WHEREAS, although data are being reported, no staff is currently assigned responsibility for retrieving the data and reporting it to the federal centers for disease control and prevention; and

     WHEREAS, an adequately funded birth defects surveillance system would allow the state not only to collect and report data regarding birth defects that are reported to the registry, but to interpret the data for the purpose of program and policy development; and

     WHEREAS, an effective birth defects surveillance system would enable the state to:

          A. monitor the prevalence of birth defects by identifying clusters that should be investigated;

          B. target prevention activities;

          C. assess the impact of screening and prevention activities; and

          D. link children to necessary services such as case management for those with complex medical needs and health care and early intervention services to maximize the child's development potential; and

     WHEREAS, the cost to fund a birth defects surveillance system is estimated to be one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) per year; and

     WHEREAS, funding for a birth defects surveillance system would make it possible to increase the number of healthy babies born in New Mexico, leverage federal funds for birth defects research, implement intensive birth defects prevention campaigns and provide education and outreach to New Mexico families affected by birth defects; and

     WHEREAS, the effort to raise awareness of the importance of a birth defects surveillance system begins with this senate memorial;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that it recognize the need for a New Mexico birth defects surveillance system and that March 10, 2011 be declared "March of Dimes Day" in the senate; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be transmitted to Brandi Van Pelt, the state director of program services and state director of public affairs for the March of Dimes.

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