by Cobb-Douglas Public Health | Douglasville Patch |
The Douglas Health Futures Foundation (DHFF) accepted a generous grant from the GreyStone Power Foundation, Inc. to help promote public health’s Safe Sleep initiative. GreyStone’s support will help fund billboards with messaging aimed at preventing sleep-related infant deaths in Douglas County and educating parents about creating a safe sleep environment for their children.
Safe Sleep is a statewide initiative in Georgia that strives to implement public health interventions that empower parents, caregivers and healthcare providers to make informed decisions to prevent additional injury and death of infants due to controllable environmental factors.
DHFF works to support Georgia’s Safe Sleep initiative locally with direct education and equipment distribution (e.g., sleep sacks with back placement reminders, Pack ‘n Plays for a safe sleep surface for infants, and educational literature) in Douglas County. “We are grateful to our partners like GreyStone Power who give back to the community and take an interest in helping low-income and at-need families in Douglas County,” said Lisa Crossman, Executive Director of Douglas Health Futures Foundation. “With generous donations like these, we can continue to provide more comprehensive care and make a tangible difference in the lives of our Douglas County residents.”
According to the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) Online Analytical Statistical Information System [OASIS] database, Georgia has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the country, averaging three infant deaths per week due to sleep-related causes. SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) was the third leading cause of fatality to infants in Douglas County between 2009 and 2015, and suffocation was the fifth leading cause for children in the same time period.
In October 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics expanded its safe infant sleep recommendations to reinforce sleep position (back versus stomach) and proper sleep environment. DPH launched a limited Safe Sleep initiative in 2016 to help prevent sleep-related deaths and to educate parents about creating a safe sleep environment for their children.
For more information about Safe Sleep or the Douglas Health Futures Foundation, visit douglashealthfutures.org.
About Douglas Health Futures Foundation
The Douglas Health Futures Foundation, Inc. is a 501c3 development affiliate that provides financial, fundraising, and advocacy support for the mission of Douglas Public Health, which is, with its partners, to promote and protect the health and safety of the residents of Douglas County.
About Cobb & Douglas Public Health
Cobb & Douglas Public Health, along with the Georgia Department of Public Health, has been committed to the mission of “Healthier Lives. Healthier Community.” since 1920. We are dedicated to improving our residents’ quality of life by tracking and preventing the spread of disease, promoting health and safety, providing exceptional medical services, and ensuring that our community is prepared for public health emergencies. For more information, visit www.cobbanddouglaspublichealth.org.
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