Tallahassee Democrat 05/13/2012, Page C03

My View -- Ann Davis

Today, we celebrate the dedication and strength of mothers throughout Florida.

As we honor these amazing women, we need to also recognize one of the most important challenges facing new and expecting mothers — access to health care — and the people and programs working to address these challenges.

In an average week in Florida, 4,599 babies are born — 633 are born preterm, and 399 are born with a low birthweight (less than 5½ pounds).

Babies born prematurely often spend their first weeks or even months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and face potential lifelong challenges, such as learning disabilities, chronic lung disease and vision and hearing problems. The average medical costs for a preterm baby are more than 10 times higher than those of a healthy fullterm baby.

County Receives Grant to Help Close the Infant Mortality Gap

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 17, 2012

Leon County has partnered with the Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition to reconvene the “Year of the Healthy Infant” – a public forum to provide resources and information to help improve birth outcomes and identify additional opportunities to reduce the rate of black infant mortality.

The community forum will be held Saturday, March 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Florida State University Turnbull Conference Center, 555 W. Pensacola Street. The forum is free and open to the public. The day’s events will include an overview and analysis of the most recent infant mortality rates, a resource fair, education classes, health screenings, an update on current community efforts and more.

Through a Closing the Gap grant from the Florida Department of Minority Health, Leon County has partnered with Capital Area Healthy Start Coalition to provide education about safe sleep, preconception, interconception and prenatal health.  This partnership has evolved at a critical time for moms and babies, as reports indicate an increase in black infant deaths in Leon County in 2010. The "Leon County Campaign for Healthy Babies" is designed to reach African American women and girls of childbearing age to teach the importance of staying healthy prior to, during and after pregnancy. Health resources and information will also be provided to encourage women to maintain or establish a medical home.

Our goal is to reach at least 2,700 women in Leon County through health fairs, and the provision of health education classes in health centers, schools, faith-based organizations and other public venues. If you would like to schedule a FREE Healthy Start health education class at/for your organizations health event, contact LaRhonda Larkins at (850) 488-0288 ext. 106. 

Two of the part-time health educators, LaRhonda Larkins (left) and Cedrika Prewitt (right), posing at their booth at the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital for Life Under the Big Top