Franciscan Health earns Gold Safe Sleep recognition

Franciscan Health Olympia Fields Family Birth Center has been recognized by the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program as a Gold Safe Sleep Champion for its commitment to best practices and education on infant safe sleep.

The National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program was created by Cribs for Kids®, the only national infant safe sleep organization. Based in Pittsburgh, Pa., Cribs for Kids is dedicated to preventing infant sleep-related deaths due to accidental suffocation. As a Nationally Certified Safe Sleep Hospital, Franciscan Health is recognized for following safe sleep guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and providing training programs for healthcare team members and family caregivers.

“I‘m glad to have been a part of the Safe Sleep certifying process,” said Sherita Needom, Franciscan Health certified lactation consultant. “Knowing that I could help make a difference decreasing infant mortality is an honor. I enjoy working with Cribs for Kids in an effort to help families adopt safe sleep habits. I will continue to do my part to bring support and education to the community that we serve”.

“Sleep-Related Death (SRD) results in the loss of more than 3,500 U.S. infants every year,” said Michael H. Goodstein, MD, neonatologist and Cribs for Kids medical director of research. “We know that modeling safe infant sleep in the hospital and providing education to families has a significant effect on infant mortality. Cribs for Kids Hospital Certification Program is designed to recognize those hospitals that are taking an active role in reducing these preventable deaths.”

“Franciscan Health Family Birth Center wants to be a resource for our community here in the South Suburbs and support all our families with as much good education as possible. This includes making sure that we are modeling those behaviors inside our walls and sharing habits for them to utilize when they go home,” said Joan Culver, director of patient care services. “Illinois ranks 36 out of 50 states for infant mortality, and a leading cause of infant death is accidental suffocation related to inappropriate sleep practices. If we can help a family learn to adopt good sleep habits and save even one baby’s life, then we’ve done our job.”

The National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program was created in partnership with leading infant health and safety organizations such as All Baby & Child, The National Center for the Review & Prevention of Child Deaths, Association of SIDS and Infant Mortality Programs, Kids in Danger, Children’s Safety Network, American SIDS Institute, Charlie’s Kids, CJ Foundation for SIDS, and numerous state American Academy of Pediatric chapters and health departments.

“We welcome Franciscan Health Olympia Fields Family Birth Center to an expanding group of committed hospitals,” said Judith A. Bannon, Executive Director and Founder for Cribs for Kids. “This will have a profound effect on saving babies’ lives.”

For more information on the Cribs for Kids® National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification program visit, www.cribsforkids.org/hospitalcertification

Submitted by Robyn Ali, Marketing Specialist, Franciscan Health Olympia Fields, Marketing and Public Relations Department robyn.ali@franciscanalliance.org