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                         ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
                                                                                                    
The development and resulting publication of Mortality Statistics requires the efforts of colleagues
in many different areas of the Arkansas Department of Health.  Although acknowledging each person   
connected with this endeavor is impractical, several individuals and organizations deserve special  
recognition.                                                                                        
                                                                                                    
The Center for Health Statistics has primary responsibility for preparing Mortality Statistics, 
and does so under the supervision of Douglas R. Murray, the Center's Director.  Paul Johnson, Senior
Research Analyst, and Thaer Baroud, Health Program Analyst, verify, prepare and analyze the data use
to generate the tables.                                                                             
                                                                                                    
The Division of Vital Records (Sharon Leinbach, Director and State Registrar) is responsible for the
collection and registration of all vital events.  The data compiled from these records are used to  
produce this report.                                                                                
                                                                                                    
Health Statistics and Vital Records colleagues work together to ensure accurate data.   Grace Carson
Records Management Analyst from Vital Records, oversees out-of-state death data.  Dorene Harris,    
Statistician for the Center, does medical data quality assurance with support from Steve Whisnant,  
who trains hospital personnel, medical examiners, county coroners and hospice workers on completing 
death certificate data correctly.  Vanessa Calamese, Data Processing Supervisor, and her staff      
ensure that data is entered and corrected in a timely manner.  Denise Jarrett, Documents Examiner,  
keys cause of death from the death certificates and inputs out-of-state death certificates.         
Charlotte Caldwell, Secretary, is responsible for distribution of all reports.                      
                                                                                                    
The Division of Information Technology Services (Gerald Perkins, Director) provides the computer    
facilities for data entry and management.                                                           
                                                                                                    
The United States Census Bureau provides the state population data that enable the calculation of   
many of the rates in the report.                                                                    
 
 
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