by Tim O’Brien
Recently, the Indiana Department of Health announced provisional data showing a historic decrease in the state’s infant mortality rate. If the data stays the same, it will mark the lowest rate of infant deaths in Indiana since 1900.
This is progress worth celebrating, and the result of sustained efforts to better protect our most vulnerable.
In 2015, the General Assembly passed a law establishing the Safety PIN(Protecting Indiana’s Newborns) Grant Program to provide funding to organizations throughout the state working to reduce infant deaths. The IDOH also has other support services for newborns and new moms including home visits, breastfeeding programs and infant safe sleep education.
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Indiana’s Safe Haven Law is working to save young lives as well, allowing baby boxes to be installed at places like hospitals and police and fire stations. These temperature-controlled devices allow parents to anonymously surrender newborns by placing them in baby boxes, which automatically lock and alert authorities. No surrendered babies have died in Indiana since the first baby box was installed in our state in 2016.
These are tremendous accomplishments, but we must remain vigilant in helping our youngest Hoosiers and their families. Click here for Indiana’s maternal and child health programs or call the Moms Helpline at 1-844-624-MOMS (6667) for confidential support. Sincerely, |
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