In 2011 the Louisiana Office of Public Health Bureau of Family Health (BFH) merged the child safety/Child Death Review, Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review and Fetal and Infant Mortality Review programs into one Mortality Surveillance Program resulting in new jobs and new job processes that are still being shaped. For the Mortality Surveillance Program to continue gaining momentum there needs to be more definition in staff positions, administrative flow and, most importantly, program goals and alignment with national models.
This internship will focus on the creation of manual that can serve as an orientation tool for new staff and a resource guide for current staff. Development of this manual will require interviewing agency staff, documenting existing processes and guidelines researching the policies of other agencies, researching national standards, facilitating meetings, and developing evidence-based recommendations.
Through this project the intern will gain a deep understanding of the BFH Mortality Surveillance Program: how it works on a day to day basis both regionally and at the state level, the over arching goals and the impact on the community. In addition, the intern will gain a broad understanding of infant, child and maternal mortality from a national perspective by researching and compiling national resources.
Through this practicum, the student will:
- Describe the functions and processes of a state-level mortality surveillance program.
- Research national standards of mortality surveillance of children, pregnant women, and infants, and the efforts of other states in conducting this surveillance.
- Develop recommendations of how the Bureau of Family health can improve the morality surveillance process.
This practicum will be preceptored by the OPH BFH Mortality Surveillance Coordinator. To apply, please send:
- a resume
- cover letter, and
- your draft learning objectives
to Shokufeh Ramirez (sramirez@tulane.edu) by Monday, May 13.
This position is open to any Tulane MPH student. Funding is contingent on the following qualifications: enrollment in the GCHB department and US citizen or permanent resident. Preference is given to those in the MCH concentration.
