Prenatal & Infant Care Luncheon Materials Available
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- February 20, 2020 Luncheon Recap -
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Dr. Nancy Swigonski, MD; Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine; Professor, Fairbanks School of Public Health,
shared statistical facts (below), quality improvements, social determinants, and racial and geographic disparities of infant mortality. Her work helps health care providers and health workers better understand the issues related to infant mortality, the causes, and ways to lower the infant mortality rate in Indiana. Thankfully, deaths have fallen in recent years, but Indiana still lags behind other states in its rate of improvement, Swigonski says.
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Statistics Say:
- There are two times as many deaths in the first year of life than in the next 13 years combined.
- Infant mortality is a leading indicator of a society's health and social stability. (For this reason, the CIA tracks infant mortality around the world.)
- In Indiana, there were 602 infant deaths in 2017; in 2018, the number was 559.
- One Indiana baby dies every 16 hours, or one to two babies daily.
- In Allen County, 38 babies died in 2017, or one baby every 9 days -- that's 3 babies each month.
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Allen County Fetal Infant Mortality Findings
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Erin Norton, Director, Community Outreach, Parkview Health,
talked about the Allen County Fetal Infant Mortality Review (FIMR), including recommendations for health workers and possible actions to help reduce the infant mortality rate. She revealed the process by which data and local input for solutions are gathered. All mothers who suffer the loss of a child through infant mortality are offered an interview with Erin. She, then, shares the information with local professionals. Watch Erin's presentation to find out what groups studying this information have learned and their recommendations for what we all can do to help.
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Staci Kaczmarek, Quality Improvement Coach,
Engaging Childcares Towards
Healthier Moms and Babies,
announced this new program at Healthier Moms and Babies to strengthen resources available to local childcare providers. The program strives to partner with childcares to ensure they have the safe sleep materials they need, supporting them so they can offer more infant slots, and training of child care providers about safe sleep. The program also helps families know what to look for when it comes to high quality childcare. Referrals welcome!
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Help Count All Kids in 2020 Census
Children of color, those in low-income families, those in immigrant families, and living in rural areas are among the most likely to be missed during the 2020 census. Low, inaccurate counts will result in inadequate funding from the government for programs that benefit kids who need them most. For every person counted, the state gets somewhere between $1,700 to $2,000.
Click here
to watch a video from the
Count All Kids
campaign about how you can help.
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Grant Application Period Begins
The HEAL Program, sponsored by the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation and Parkview Health, is launching its 2020 grant application period. Local partners may receive mini grants up to $1,000 to host the Our HEALing Kitchen cooking course. Nutrition is addressed in the cooking course as an important contributor to a healthy pregnancy, birth and early years of a child. For more information,
click here
or email Community Liaison
Sharon Tubbs
.
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Take this Assessment Survey!
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The Indiana State Department of Health is asking for feedback to help prioritize funding. A short survey that takes 15 minutes or less will ask questions about your family's and your community's health. Pleast take a moment to fill out the survey for a good showing from our region.
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Celebrate with A Hope Center
A Hope Center will host its 2020 fundraising banquet, "A Clear Vision of Hope," Tuesday, April 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. The event will celebrate the ministry's 36th year of oper
ation. For more information and to register,
click here
.
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Associated Churches' Mission House
Building has begun for the Mission House on E. Wayne Street. The house is an effort by Associated Churches to meet needs in the community.
A greenhouse in the back yard will provide fresh food to cook in the house's teaching kitchen. The great room will include opportunities for therapy, counseling, and well-being programs. Organizers hope to provide a space to gather, break bread, and incorporate God’s lessons, according to a recent story about the effort. For more information,
click here
.
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