Forums to Address Infant Mortality
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indiana Youth Institute will host two forums next week in Indianapolis focusing on infant mortality. The events will examine the top causes of infant mortality and the state's plan for the future. Indiana Department of Health Commissioner Jerome Adams will discuss the issue this weekend on Inside INdiana Business Television. Dr. Jerome Adams, Commissioner, Indiana Department of Health
January 16, 2015
News Release
Indianapolis, Ind. — Every 13 hours, an infant in Indiana loses his or her life. In fact, Indiana's infants are 25 percent more likely to die within their first year of life than their peers nationally. It is a startling statistic that marks Indiana as one of the worst in the nation for infant mortality.
A recent Issue Brief from the Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) outlined the top five causes of infant mortality as:
–Birth defects;
–Being born too soon and/or too small;
–Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS);
–Complications during pregnancy and
–Accidents or unintentional injuries
IYI is hosting two upcoming forums on how to help save these little lives. The Indiana State Department of Health's (ISDH) Infant Mortality Education Liaison Marilyn Carter will speak about the ongoing problems Indiana faces to reduce its infant mortality rate. She will also discuss the state's plan for the future and how everyone can be involved in saving a baby's life.
Gretchen Martin, ISDH child fatality review program coordinator, will join Carter to speak about the community response to these deaths and the insight her team gains in understanding the circumstances or risk factors that led up to each child's death.
The first forum will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at the United Way of Central Indiana, 3901 N. Meridian Street in Indianapolis. Please RSVP for this event by Friday, Jan. 16 via this link. If you have trouble with the link, please email Debbie Jones at djones@iyi.org.
The second forum is on Thursday, Jan. 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Brookside Park Family Recreation Center, 3500 Brookside Parkway S. Drive in Indianapolis. Please RSVP for this event by Tuesday, Jan. 20 via this link. If you have trouble with the link, please email Debbie Jones at djones@iyi.org.
As part of IYI's Youth Worker Caf? program, the forum and lunch are free, but reservations are required.
Youth Worker Caf?s are designed to bring together local youth workers to build relationships and inspire collaborations that will benefit children. This Youth Worker Caf? is made possible by the collaborative efforts of the Indy Parks Foundation, Edna Martin Christian Center, Indiana Afterschool Network and IYI. These events are funded by a grant from the Indiana State Department of Health.
Source: Indiana Youth Institute