Dear Provider:
I wish to bring your attention to unsafe sleeping practices that may have contributed to a recent rise in infant deaths in Suffolk County. In 2022, there were five (5) reported fatalities due to unsafe sleep practices. In 2023, we had ten (10) reported cases, and in 2024 there were at least six (6) of these fatalities in the county.
At the Suffolk County Department of Health Services, the Perinatal Health Services Program is a home visiting program for pregnant and postpartum women that provides extensive perinatal education including safe sleep practices. On an as-needed basis, we provide education materials and portable cribs for those with demonstrated needs. We are sending this information to support and encourage your ongoing conversations with your patients regarding safe sleep.
Please see the list of resources and sample items below that can be ordered by your offices for distribution.
For more information, please reach out to Ellen Higgins, LCSW, Director of Perinatal Health Services Program, at (631) 854-4030.
Sincerely,
Gregson H. Pigott, MD, MPH
Commissioner
Suffolk County Department of Health Services
1) The New York State Department of Health’s Safe Sleep for Baby campaign offers a variety of infant safe sleep resources to New York State organizations at no cost. To see the full list of educational materials, and obtain the Publication Request Form to place an order, please visit NYSDOH Website:
Safe Sleep For Baby / https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/conditions/safesleep/
Suggested item: Follow the ABCs of Safe Sleep available in multiple formats including brochure, poster, magnet, and crib card. Find a pdf of this item here:
https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/0672.pdf
2) The National Institute of Health offers free resources for reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related infant deaths. Materials include booklets, handouts and infographics, suitable for sharing with parents, grandparents, and diverse communities.
Shareable Resources | Safe to Sleep® / https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov/resources
3) Cribs for Kids – Helping every baby sleep safer is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing cribs for babies whose families cannot afford them and educating all caregivers about the dangers of unsafe sleep environments. Multiple items can be found here:
Our Story – Cribs for Kids / https://cribsforkids.org/our-story/
4) Charlie’s Kids was established to give parents, caregivers, and safe-sleep partners life-saving tools to ensure every infant wakes up from every sleep. For information about the resources available please visit:
Home | Charlies Kids / https://www.charlieskids.org/
Suggested item: Sleep Baby Safe and Snug is a baby board book that guides readers on how to put their baby to sleep safely. Find this item at a discounted price here:
Price List | Charlies Kids / https://www.charlieskids.org/price
