Baby 1st network provides eduational material and support for all who work to reduce sudden unexpected infant death (suid). We provide the tools necessary to empower and engage communites to keep their infants safe. We provide support services to families who have experienced suid.

Family Services , Human Service Organizations , Human Services

Education fy 2017: our infant safe sleep mini-grant program was developed to increase educational initiatives in communities where the disparities in sleep related infant death are the greatest by sharing the infant safe sleep message. In fiscal year 2017, our infant safe sleep mini-grant program funded 22 state projects. Through 43 activities including community baby showers/health fairs, faith-based and fatherhood workshops, childcare provider trainings and interactive display boards, 1,215 parents-to-be, babysitters and grandparents were educated on sids risk reduction and the vital abcs of safe sleep (alone, on babys back, in a crib). We also educate the community on safe sleep practices through community health forums and agency training workshops. We held 3 community health forums tailored to the faith based community, fathers, brothers and uncles in akron and columbus. In total, we reached over 600 people with the safe sleep message. Four additional sids/infant safe sleep training workshops were held across the state reaching 158 people. As part of our mission to promote infant health and wellness and our partnership with the ohio department of health, baby 1st network held two, 3 hour sids risk reduction and infant safe sleep educational workshops for professionals in akron and columbus during march and april. We had 79 in attendance. For the first time ever, we made the training available through ohiotrain and 86 people took this on-line training course. Distribution of infant safe sleep materials is essential in educating the community and we distributed 6,540 infant safe sleep t-shirts with our safe sleep message as part of our infant safe sleep program. These t-shirts are sent to our partners at hospitals, agencies, health departments and clinics to be used as part of their safe sleep programming. In addition, we supplied 14,523 informational safe sleep brochures to families and caregivers across the state. family bereavement support fy 2017:this fiscal year we sent out 170 bereavement packets and other specialized grief materials from our free library to families and caregivers. In addition, parents are offered free grief support services through our toll-free number and 14 regional volunteer sids/suid parent contacts. These volunteers responded to numerous grieving families and provided them with support, encouragement and hope. Our facebook, twitter and website are updated continually and are sources for bereavement support for those who have suffered an infant death.