Sullivan Announces Safety PIN Grants Awarded To Groups Around The State

STATEHOUSE – Ten entities will receive nearly $13 million in Safety PIN grants aimed at reducing infant mortality in Indiana, as a result of a law championed by State Rep. Holli Sullivan (R-Evansville).

“The Safety PIN grant program allows Indiana organizations and communities to apply for resources that can be used to implement a plan to combat infant mortality,” Sullivan said. “Providing grants to programs that understand and target specific drivers of infant mortality, such as smoking and lack of prenatal care, is the most efficient way to protect both the mothers and their unborn children.”

Sullivan authored House Enrolled Act 1004 during the 2015 legislative session to establish the Safety PIN grant program. The program allows groups to present their innovative solutions and apply for a grant to reduce infant mortality. Sullivan said this is a performance-based grant where recipients must show they met certain standards in order to receive the total grant amount.

Administered by the Indiana State Department of Health, the groups applying for grants had to include in their proposal: the targeted area, the amount they plan to reduce the infant mortality rate by and the timeframe in which they will achieve their goal.

According to the Indiana State Department of Health, 31 entities applied for the grant; 10 of which received funding. Projects chosen to move forward included ones focused on safe sleep practices, prenatal care, smoking cessation, one-on-one home visits and key demographic groups with higher infant mortality rates.

Lawmakers appropriated a total of $13.5 million for grants and development of a mobile application designed to help connect pregnant women with resources and reduce Indiana’s infant mortality rate.

As the fifth worst state in the nation for infant mortality, the House Republicans sought to address this issue, making it a top priority in the 2015 session.

“These grants will be put to good use and I will continue looking for more ways to improve the health of all Hoosiers, especially the unborn,” Sullivan said.