State-Based Tracking Systems
Ohio

Program: Ohio Connections for Children with Special Needs (OCCSN)
Organization: Ohio Department of Health
Projected Period: February 2010–January 2015
Project Director: Anna Starr, BS
Website: http://www.odh.ohio.gov/odhPrograms/cmh/bdefects/birthdefects1.aspx

The Ohio Connections for Children with Special Needs (OCCSN) was created in 2004 to track children from birth to five years of age born with birth defects. This statewide program receives data from all hospitals in the state to monitor about 4,500 babies born with birth defects among 150,000 births per year. OCCSN works to improve data quality and analysis to guide prevention efforts and to improve referral to medical care and services for children born with birth defects in Ohio.

 

Grantee Goals and Activities

Surveillance

• Work with hospitals to enhance data reporting.
• Develop standard reporting practices.
• Generate prevalence of birth defects in Ohio for selected birth defects from analyzed data.
• Disseminate current data to policy makers, health clinics and other partners.

Prevention

• Use results from data analysis and monitoring systems to direct prevention activities.
• Explore and provide cost effective ways to educate health professionals about birth defects prevention.
• Inform Ohio residents on birth defects burden and prevention.

Referrals

• Increase access to early intervention care for children.
• Monitor outcomes of children referred to services.