The Children’s Trust Fund has started a seven-county pilot project to reduce the number of cases of shaken baby syndrome. Seventy children have died in Missouri in the last five years because somebody shook them. The State has a new abuse reporting law that requires hospitals to give new parents and others a chance to watch a special video about shaken baby. The Children’s Trust Fund has just such a video, financed with money from memorial donations made to honor Mel Carnahan. Executive Director Bill Heberle says the fund is working with the Health Department to get the video shown in the seven counties. The seven counties: Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Camden, Laclede, Webster and Greene. The program involves anti-abuse advertising and counseling. Heberle hopes to expand the program to another judicial circuit next year and gradually make it statewide.
