Current Issues and Some Observations on Vitals after Eighteen Months as Director of DVS Current Issues and Some Observations on Vitals after Eighteen Months as Director of DVS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics

Current Issues Status of VSCP contracts – the contract is in the mail Status of NDI – States on contracts: you should have them - States on Purchase Orders – it’s in the mail New criteria for awards this year DVS Newsletter – It’s new but is it useful? Field Rep workshop - Sept San Antonio Joint Meeting next year? NDI – Some lost opportunities

“Stuff Happens” When Dealing with NCHS – A Lament of the States Current VSCP contracts – data without pay is no way to play No new $’s for a new VSCP contract for an expanded data set No new $’s for re-engineering Re-issuing of vitals data sets at NCHS – too much specificity

“Stuff” Happens When Dealing with States – An NCHS Lament States not meeting their time requirements … a late egg(s) spoil the soufflé States not able to do their coding More states missing the annual meeting Data release changes hurt the value of vitals to researchers and to NCHS States revising mid year or partial revision – apples and oranges for the States and Nation

Apples and Oranges for Births Revised data: 7 States Split states (non-revised AND revised data in same year): 1 State Not revised, but providing multi-race data: 4 States Not revised, but providing multi-race and multi-Hispanic: 1 State Not revised, but providing FIPS codes for geographic items: 6 States

But Trust is a Must … Now More than Ever: Intelligence Reform Act National Minimum Standards for Vital Registration - it’s not just about better paper – it’s the system – it’s the method – it’s the process Authorized Grant Program to defray State costs - but authorization is not money in your bank yet But a huge chance for “reinvigoration” and recognition of Vital Registration

A Little Advertising

Monday at 1:30 Intelligence Reform: Federal Perspectives What does this legislation mean for state vital registration? What is the process?

Tuesday at 8:30AM Current Research Activities in the Division of Vital Statistics Explaining the Infant Mortality Increase Challenges in measuring gestational age Diabetes Reporting on Death Certificates in Kentucky Quality of Race and Hispanic Origin Reporting on Death Certificates ICD Revision Process: Moving Towards ICD-11

Tuesday at 10:30 Issues in the Re-release of State Health This is a VSCP contract issue relating to the re-release of state vital statistics data by NCHS.

Wednesday at 8:30AM Revised Vital Statistics: Everything You Wanted to Know and Were Afraid to Ask Several states that have revised will be sharing their lessons learned re data quality

Wednesday at 10:30 Shedding New Light on Fertility and Infant Health: Expanding the Value of Birth Registration Data Activities within DVS or closely allied to the birth registration system, including: The National Survey of Family Growth The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Birth Cohort Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Birth Defects Surveillance