Safe Beginnings Program Provides Cribs and More to Qualifying Families – Thanks to the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund grant, the Tuscarawas County Health Department can hook you up with safe sleep equipment for your unborn or new baby through the Safe Beginnings Program! Check your eligibility for a free crib or pack and play right here on Newsymom!
This is Public Health is brought to you in partnership with the Tuscarawas County Health Department.
Having a safe place to sleep for your baby is vital for health and wellness! In 2019, Ohio had an infant mortality rate of 6.9 per 1,000 live births. This means that about 7 babies out of 1,000 died due to a variety of complications: birth defects, prematurity/low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome a.k.a. SIDS, maternal complications of pregnancy and respiratory distress syndrome. (Mortality and Morbidity, Data for Ohio, MarchofDimes.org)
Programs such as the Tuscarawas County Health Department’s Safe Beginnings program has helped bring down the number of infant deaths due to unsafe sleep practices. Safe Beginnings helps by providing qualifying families with safe sleep equipment, such as cribs or pack ‘n plays!
Safe Beginnings Qualifications
To qualify for Safe Beginnings, your family must be within 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. For example, a family of four (including an unborn child) with a gross income (before taxes) at or below $51,338 annually, or $4,279 monthly would qualify.
With Safe Beginnings, your family could also potentially receive:
- Crib
- Stroller
- Baby Monitor
- Safety Gates
- And more!
Reach out to the Tuscarawas County Health Department by calling (330) 343-5555 x. 1110 or 1530 or email healthed@tchdnow.org for more information on this program.
Play Your Part to Reduce Your Baby’s Risk of SIDS
There are steps you can take to ensure your baby is safely sleeping. You should always:
- Put your baby on his or her back to sleep, in his or her own crib. Don’t share the bed with your baby. You could roll over on them during deep sleep, or they could fall off the bed!
- Dress your baby in light sleep clothes, free from strings, ties, or anything that could cover their face or choke them.
- Swaddle your baby with a light blanket, tightly swaddled to keep them warm. Swaddles are a-okay until your baby is able to roll over on their own! Once the rolling starts, stop swaddling.
- Keep pillows, loose blankets, fabric crib decor, stuffed animals, etc. out of their crib. Baby could suffocate or strangle themselves!
The Tuscarawas County Health Department wants you to take all the precautions to make sure your baby lives a happy, healthy life! Call them at (330) 343-5555 x. 1110 or 1530 for more information about Safe Beginnings. You can also visit them at www.tchdnow.org to see what other services they offer you and your family.
Make sure to follow along on Facebook (@tchdnow) for the latest news and safety tips to keep your whole family in tip-top shape this holiday season!
Melissa Klatt
Reporting
