The Governor wrote me back.

As you may remember, I wrote Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner an email expressing my dismay at the high infant mortality rate in our state, and asking where and how I could best help with the state's efforts to reduce this statistic. (I blogged it in "Delaware Highest in Infant Mortality," 6/9/04.) Well, she wrote me back June 18 enumerating our state's initiatives that have apparently not helped reduce infant mortality. In fact, I have taken advantage of lots of what our state offers pregnant women and new mothers and their kids, since the services are all incredible and at low cost or absolutely free. She's named an "Infant Mortality Task Force" to assess the current status of the problem and develop strategies for improvement, including raising awareness of our state's problems. She writes:

I have alerted my staff as well as Division of Public Health staff of your interest and experience in infant mortality issues. As we move forward in development of the task force, my staff will contact you about a possible role in the task force or in the implementation of related activities.

I don't have to have a role in the task force, of course, but I would like to know where I can be put to best use. I will visit new babies, I will stuff envelopes, I will drive pregnant women to doctor's appointments. I don't care, really, I just want to do something.