West Virginia Code 16-22B-2 – Birth score program established
(a) The division of health within the Department of Health and Human Resources is hereby authorized to establish and implement a birth score program designed to combat postneonatal mortality and to detect debilitating conditions and possible developmental delays in newborn infants in the state.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 16-22B-2
- Department: means the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources: Provided, That beginning January 1, 2024, as used in this chapter, "department" and "Department of Health and Human Resources" means the Department of Health. See West Virginia Code 16-1-2
- State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
(b) The purpose and goals of the birth score program are to reduce the incidence of postneonatal mortality and disease by:
(1) Identifying newborns at greatest risk for death between one month and one year of age; and
(2) Linking these infants with physicians for close follow-up during the first year of life.
(c) The birth score of a newborn infant shall be determined pursuant to the program established by the division of health by trained hospital or birthing facility personnel immediately after the infant is delivered.