Mercer County Community Hospital has been recognized as a “Gold Safe Sleep Hospital” by the National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program. This is due to their dedication to best practices and education on infant safe sleep. The program was created by Cribs for Kids®, a national organization focused on preventing infant sleep-related deaths due to SUID and accidental suffocation. The organization is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA.
As a Nationally Certified Safe Sleep Hospital, Mercer Health follows the safe sleep guidelines recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). They also provide training programs for healthcare team members and family caregivers at the highest available designation level.
Michael H. Goodstein, M.D., a neonatologist and the medical director of research at Cribs for Kids, stated that more than 3,500 infants die from SRD in the U.S. every year. He emphasized the importance of modeling safe infant sleep in the hospital and providing education to families. The Cribs for Kids Hospital Certification Program recognizes hospitals that are actively involved in reducing preventable deaths.
Ashley Piper, RN, OB Clinical Coordinator for the Childbirth Center at Mercer Health, expressed pride in joining the national effort to reduce infant mortality. She highlighted the hospital’s commitment to promoting safe sleep and providing evidence-based information to parents and caregivers.
For more information on the program, visit https://cribsforkids.org/hospitalcertification/. For more information on the Childbirth Center at Mercer Health, visit https://mercer-health.com/our-services/childbirth-center/. In the picture provided, Ashley Piper is featured alongside Danielle Dues, the Childbirth Center Manager.