Promoting safe sleep for young children was identified by Great by Eight as an action that, when combined with other actions in our community, has a reasonable chance of making a difference in the number of infant deaths in our community. This is an ongoing program in our community.

Currently, Haywood County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) provides pack and plays to families who cannot afford a safe sleep space for infants.  Sleep sacks are also provided.  

The priority population/customers for safe sleep are families with young children, and promoting safe sleep aims to make a difference at the individual and community levels. Implementation will take place in clinical settings, thereby impacting safety in homes and child care facilities.

This strategy addresses health disparities by reducing the likelihood of infant death in families with limited resources.  

2020 Update:

Public health and social work staff from HHSA continued providing materials to families who do not have a safe sleep space for their infant.  Local pediatricians have been informed of these resources and are able to refer families to the HHSA.  This program began in late 2016.  Ten pack and plays were distributed in 2020 (HHSA, 2016-2020).  Partner agencies are HHSA and the Kiwanis Club of Waynesville.  

The partners for promoting safe sleep include:

Evaluation Plan:

We plan to evaluate the impact of promoting safe sleep through the use of Results-Based AccountabilityTM to monitor specific performance measures. We will be monitoring How Much, How Well and/or Better Off Performance Measures. Our evaluation activities will be tracked in the Work Plan table, above. 

Sustainability Plan:

The following is our sustainability plan for promoting safe sleep in home and child care: 

• Sustainability Components:
  • The number of pack and plays provided to families will tracked and used to demonstrate need to funders and other stakeholders.  
  • The number of child deaths related to unsafe sleep will be tracked and used to demonstrate need to funders and stakeholders.