Those who want to know where Nevada stands on child fatalities related to abuse or neglect probably will have one less source to consult next year.

UNLV's Center for Business and Economic Research, which now compiles data for the 2005 Nevada Kids Count report, plans to omit that category because of recently uncovered underreporting problems in Clark County.

The Nevada Department of Human Resources's Division of Child and Family Services has found that 114 Clark County child deaths between 2001 and 2004 might have involved maltreatment. That's more than three times the number of child deaths reported by the Clark County Department of Family Services.

"We're getting ready to come out again, and we're simply not going to report the data," said R. Keith Schwer, the center director. "We're going to wait until we're convinced we have credible information."

Kids Count, a project of the Annie E. Casey Foundation, tracks national trends with state-by-state reporting on the status of children. It's often used as a resource by politicians, child-service providers, school districts and media outlets. In the past, Kids Count data have shown Nevada below the national average on abuse-related child deaths. That placement, Schwer said, was based on inaccurate information obtained from the local and state agencies that track those figures.

"It's embarrassing and unacceptable," said Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, D-Reno. "I think Kids Count looks at the same 10 elements for the whole country. Knowing how and why children died is critical information. ... If we don't have good data, how can we make the policy decisions we need to make as legislators?"

Leslie also said that underreporting abuse-related child deaths might have obscured the actual needs of the state's child welfare entities.

"Because the numbers weren't so bad, maybe it didn't get our attention," Leslie said.

In 2002, the number of children who died because of maltreatment was reported as just one-fourth of the national average, at 0.52 fatalities per 100,000 people. Mike Willden, director of the Nevada Health and Human Resources Department, said there's no way of knowing where Nevada will rank until the 114 red-flagged child deaths in Clark County are more closely reviewed.

The process is expected to take several months. If just a few of the deaths are found to be rooted in abuse, Nevada probably will remain below the national average of two deaths per 100,000, Willden said. If it's 20 or more, the revised figures could push Nevada above the national average.

"I doubt we'll be the worst in the nation," Willden said.

A state report released earlier this month found no evidence of deliberate underreporting. The child death statistics are reported to the federal government and are one measure of the effectiveness of child and family services.

The report identified communication and reporting problems between police, medical and child welfare systems as contributing factors.

The report recommended several corrective measures and further review, which has been put into motion.

A task force is being assembled to conduct an external review of what administrative and systemic changes need to be made. A national consultant is being sought to offer guidance to the state and local agencies involved.

Leslie said that the Legislature's audit subcommittee plans to examine the child fatality reporting problem in January.

"I don't think it's just Clark County Family Services (at fault)," Leslie said. "I think it's a wider issue than that. It's obvious that changes have to be made."