The Indiana Publisher

Page 4 July 2020 Something odd was going on? In at least four counties, the local health department was redacting information from certificates of death that the newspapers routinely receive. The general consensus was that the deletions were tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. That obviously raised the question – why? It appears the problem will be resolved in favor of public access. The Public Access Counselor is working on an opinion based on a complaint filed by one of the four journalists who brought the issue to my attention. The rationale for the redac- tions is tied to I.C. 16-41-8-1. Article 41 addresses the preven- tion and control of disease. Chapter 8 concerns confidential- ity requirement for information on communicable diseases. The statute says "a person may not disclose or be compelled to disclose medical or epidemiologi- cal information involving a communicable disease or other serious disease" as set forth by a list created by administrative rule by the state Department of Health as required by I.C. 16-41-2-1. I found the list of communi- cable diseases at 410 Indiana Administrative Code 1-2.5-75. It's a lengthy list that includes innocuous things such as animal bites, influenza, measles and mumps and more intimate items, such as sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS. That knowledge at least presents a rationale for the confidentiality requirement added by the state legislature. I'm old enough to recall the fear of AIDS across the country. I was a journalist at the Noblesville Ledger when Ryan White transferred to Hamilton Heights High School after his hometown school district in Howard County blocked him from in-school attendance. AIDS was a terrifying disease with no cure and there wasn't a clear understanding initially of how the disease could be transmitted. A stigma also became associated with HIV as it became clear that homosexuals and needle-sharing drug users were groups who seemed to be particularly victim- ized. (Ryan White contracted the disease through a contaminated blood transfusion needed because he suffered from hemophilia.) To encourage AIDS victims to seek medical help, the legislature included a confidentiality provision in the statute. There wasn't any concern about public knowledge that a person's death may have been connected to influenza, chicken pox, mumps, measles or any other communi- cable disease. So a blanket of secrecy connected to the entire list makes no sense. But in Jennings, Hancock, Howard and LaPorte counties, the above statute has been cited as a reason information related to the cause of deaths are being redacted. How many other counties might be doing the same — I can't say. The deletions hamper journal- ists' ability to report the impact of COVID-19 on their communities. It also raised a concern about the motivation behind the secrecy of COVID-19 reporting. Sharing some research with Public Access Counselor Luke Britt, it appears the deletions may have been an innocent misreading of the law. While I.C. 16-41-8-1 addresses epidemiological information, it doesn't apply to vital statistics records, such at the certificates of death. Deletion of info hampers ability to cover COVID-19 Key Points Steve Key The Public Access Counselor is working on an opinion based on a complaint filed by one of the four journalists who brought the issue to my attention. Staff Reports Indianapolis Recorder The Indianapolis Recorder, a 125-year-old Black-owned publication, announced a partner- ship this month with the Interna- tional Marketplace Coalition (IMC), a leading non-profit organization on Indy's northwest side. "It is an absolute honor for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper to partner with the International Marketplace Coalition," said Robert Shegog, the Recorder's president and CEO. "The ethnic pride, focus on inclusivity, and dedication to the community that the Recorder and IMC demonstrate make our partnership logical and necessary. International Marketplace has over 900 businesses in its coalition and does a phenomenal job of uniting entities on Indy's northwest side. Their intentional efforts to support local businesses and entrepreneur- ship are truly remarkable and a model for the rest of Indianapolis and the State. The Recorder Media Group looks forward to working with and promoting these entities in the newspaper." This fruitful partnership will benefit both organizations as they share resources and serve as an example of a growing diversity network within the city of India- napolis. A few highlights of this partnership are as follows: • Helping launch The Global Village • Supporting the growth of minority businesses in the commu- nity • Showcasing of global arts and culture Mary Clark, founder and executive director of IMC, added that the partnership "will bridge cultural understanding and awareness for all communities that now call Indy home." Clark established the organiza- tion in 2005 under the same premise that the Recorder was built upon in 1895 — a need to embrace diversity. As the immigrant population grew exponentially in northwest Indy during the early 2000s, larger businesses slowly began to trickle out of the area. Clark, however, didn't follow suit. The communities that now call Indianapolis home on the northwest side have made Indianapolis a global destination. Since its creation, The India- napolis Recorder has also been a voice for the local Indianapolis community, the state of Indiana, the nation, and internationally — serv- ing as an advocate for those who could not express their thoughts or concerns and supplying truth and justice. The vision of its founders was to create a publication that would speak to and for the people. Today, the Recorder continues to hold this vision in high regard. "These two organizations represent a combined history of 140 years in supporting communi- ties of color," said Berthran Ugeh, chair of the Global Village Initiative at IMC. "The IMC's global village initiative seeks to expand further the cultural heritage and representation of the North- west side of Indianapolis. " Indianapolis Recorder partners with non-profit IMC See Key Points, page 8

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