Mississippi Sids And Infant Safety Alliance

THE ALLIANCE PROVIDES SUPPORT SERVICES TO FAMILIES WHO ARE OR MAY BE TOUCHED BY SIDS.

CRIBS FOR KIDS:SINCE 2006, THE ALLIANCE HAS DISTRIBUTED OVER 5300 PACK-N-PLAYS TO FAMILIES THAT WERE IN NEED OF A SAFE SLEEP AREA FOR THEIR BABIES. THIS SAFE SLEEP AREA KEPT THE BABIES SAFE WHILE SLEEPING AND HELPED REDUCE THE RISK OF SIDS/SUID, ACCIDENTAL SUFFOCATION, AND OTHER SLEEP-RELATED DEATHS. THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH AMAZING INDIVIDUAL AND BUSINESS DONATIONS, GRANTS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND SPONSORSHIPS OVER THE PAST 17 YEARS. SINCE 1998, THROUGH THE DONATION OF THOUSANDS OF CRIBS, CRIBS FOR KIDS HAS BEEN MAKING AN IMPACT ON THE RATES OF BABIES DYING OF SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME (SIDS) AND ACCIDENT SUFFOCATION. CRIBS FOR KIDS IS A SAFE-SLEEP EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES TO HELP REDUCE THE RISK OF INJURY AND DEATH OF INFANTS DUE TO UNSAFE SLEEP ENVIRONMENTS. CRIBS FOR KIDS CURRENTLY HAS 250 PARTNER PROGRAMS IN 44 STATES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THAT PROVIDE A GRACO PACK N PLAY CRIB AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS REGARDING 'SAFE SLEEPING AND OTHER IMPORTANT SAFETY TIPS TO PROTECT YOUR BABY.

HEALTH FAIRS:THE ALLIANCE TRAVELS THE STATE AND ATTENDS HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIRS PROVIDING SAFE SLEEP LITERATURE AND INTERACTS WITH ATTENDEES FACE TO FACE TO INFORM THEM OF SAFE SLEEP FOR BABIES. THE ALLIANCE ENCOURAGES THOSE WHO EITHER KNOW SOMEONE WITH AN INFANT OR GRANDCHILD TO TAKE THE INFORMATION WITH THEM AND HELP RAISE AWARENESS BY WORD OF MOUTH.BEREAVEMENT SERVICES:THE ALLIANCE PROVIDES HELP AND SUPPORT TO FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST AN INFANT TO SIDS/SUID OR ANY INFANT DEATH. THE ALLIANCE HAS PEER CONTACTS THESE FAMILIES CAN TALK TO AS WELL AS PROVIDE GRIEF PACKETS TO FAMILIES THAT THE ALLIANCE RECEIVES CONTACT INFORMATION ON. THE ALLIANCE BELIEVES IT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND HELPFUL TO REACH THESE FAMILIES SO THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO TALK TO SOMEONE WHO HAS WALKED IN THEIR SHOES. THE ALLIANCE DOES NOT WANT THESE FAMILIES TO FEEL THAT THEY ARE ALONE IN THEIR SORROW AND THAT THERE IS SOMEONE THERE FOR THEM. THE ALLIANCE HAS BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES DUE TO THE EXISTENCE OF MS SIDS & INFANT SAFETY ALLIANCE. THE ALLIANCE HAS A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH MANY OF THE FAMILIES WHO ARE HELPED AND MANY OF THESE FAMILIES VOLUNTEER AND SUPPORT THE ALLIANCE AT FUNDRAISING EVENTS.STATEWIDE SAFE SLEEP HOSPITAL PROGRAM:THROUGH THE HOSPITAL PROGRAM, THE ALLIANCE WILL MEET WITH BIRTHING HOSPITALS THROUGHOUT THE STATE ADVISING THEM ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE CRIBS FOR KIDS SAFE SLEEP HOSPITAL EDUCATION PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM HAS SEVERAL CERTIFICATION LEVELS. THE HOSPITAL WILL PROVIDE SAFE SLEEP EDUCATION TO FAMILIES BEFORE THEY LEAVE THE HOSPITAL THROUGH A VIDEO AND SAFE SLEEP MATERIAL, DEVELOP A SAFE SLEEP HOSPITAL POLICY AND ANNUAL PROFESSIONAL SAFE SLEEP EDUCATION. EACH HOSPITAL THAT COMPLETES THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CRIBS FOR KIDS HOSPITAL RECOGNITION WILL ALSO RECEIVE THE MS SIDS & INFANT SAFETY ALLIANCE HOSPITAL SAFE APPROVED SEAL. THIS WILL PROVIDE THE HOSPITAL WITH A NATIONAL AND STATE RECOGNITION. TO DATE, 4 HOSPITALS HAVE RECEIVED THE MS SIDS SAFE SLEEP SEAL AND MANY OTHERS ARE WORKING TOWARD THAT GOAL.

BABY BASICS:IN THIS PROGRAM THE ALLIANCE TRAVELS THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI PROVIDING EDUCATION ON SAFE SLEEP AND SIDS RISK REDUCTION TO FAMILIES WHO ARE EXPECTING A BABY OR WHO HAVE JUST HAD A BABY. THE ALLIANCE ALSO PROVIDES THIS EDUCATION TO GRANDPARENTS OR ANY CAREGIVER THAT WILL BE TAKING CARE OF AN INFANT. THE ALLIANCE WAS ABLE TO REACH HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES TO PROVIDE THIS VITAL INFANT SAFETY INFORMATION TO. OVER HALF OF THIS POPULATION HAD NEVER HEARD THIS INFORMATION OR HAD BEEN TAUGHT THROUGH CULTURE AND ELDER FAMILY MEMBERS THE WRONG WAYS TO KEEP A BABY SAFE WHEN THEY SLEEP. THE ALLIANCE WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE EACH FAMILY WITH A GOODY BAG COOLER THAT CONTAINED BABY PRODUCTS SUCH AS LOTION, SHAMPOO, A&D, SOCKS, BATH CLOTHS AND A TOOTHBRUSH. FAMILIES WERE ALSO PROVIDED A HALO SLEEP SACK THAT IS THE ONLY PRODUCT ENDORSED BY FIRST CANDLE TO REDUCE THE RISK OF SIDS. THEY ALSO RECEIVE THE AAP "CARING FOR YOUR BABY AND YOUNG CHILD, BIRTH TO AGE 5" BOOK.

NURSES/SOCIAL WORKER/PROFESSIONAL TRAIN THE TRAINER CLASSES:THE ALLIANCE PROVIDES TRAIN THE TRAINER CLASSES TO PROFESSIONALS WHO COME IN CONTACT WITH MOTHERS OF INFANTS SO THAT THEY CAN EDUCATE THEM ON HOW TO HAVE A SAFE SLEEP ENVIRONMENT FOR THEIR INFANT. THESE PROFESSIONALS ARE PROVIDED ALL THE TOOLS NEEDED TO HELP RAISE SAFE SLEEP AWARENESS AND REACH THE POPULATION THAT THE ALLIANCE IS UNABLE TO MEET WITH. FAMILIES WILL KNOW THAT IT IS NOT SAFE TO SLEEP WITH THEIR BABY AND THAT THE BABY NEEDS TO BE PUT ON THEIR BACK TO SLEEP, ALONE IN THEIR CRIB WITH NOTHING IN THE CRIB EXCEPT FOR THE BABY, A FIRM MATTRESS AND A FITTED SHEET. THEY WILL ALSO LEARN ABOUT THE ALTERNATIVES FOR SLEEPING (OTHER THAN THE ADULT BED) WHEN THEY CANNOT PROVIDE A CRIB FOR THE BABY.