Project Title  

Reducing Infant Mortality in Communities (RIMC)  

Objective:  

To address the critical need for reducing infant mortality rates and improving birth outcomes in Franklin County. 

According to the North Carolina Division of Public Health's County Health Data Book and the NC State Center for Health Statistics on NCDHHS, the infant death rate per 1,000 live births by race/ethnicity from 2017 to 2021 in Franklin County was 7.5. Notably, the rate in Franklin County is higher than the state average, which was 6.9 in 2020.

In Franklin County, specifically in 2019, the infant mortality rate was 5.2 per 1,000 live births. To compare by ethnicity, the non-Hispanic White infant mortality rate was 0, the African American non-Hispanic infant mortality rate was 10.7, and the Hispanic infant mortality rate was 8.1 (per 1,000 live births). There is a large disparity in infant mortality rates from African American and Hispanic infants when compared to White infants in Franklin County. This data underscores the urgency of the RIMC program, which aims to provide evidence-based strategies for safe infant sleep practices and promote breastfeeding support to pregnant women and their family members/support persons in Franklin County.  

What We Will Do:  

Safe Infant Sleep Practices and Breastfeeding Support:  

• Provide current infant safe sleep education to pregnant women and their family members/support persons through monthly group sessions.  
• Provide Ready, Set, BABY Breastfeeding classes to pregnant women and their family members/support persons through monthly group sessions. 
• Offer breastfeeding support services in a one-on-one setting to pregnant and postpartum women served at the LHD and in the community.  
• Conduct three-month follow-up safe sleep education surveys and breastfeeding support assessments.  

Community Engagement:  

• Develop program and advertising materials to promote safe infant sleep practices and breastfeeding support.  
• Conduct community outreach and education activities, including participating in community events and advocating for breastfeeding-friendly spaces in the community and workplace.  

Collaboration:  

• Partner with local providers, community members, and organizations to implement safe infant sleep practices. 
• Collaborate with the LHD's WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor (BFPC) Program to provide additional support to BFPC program participants.  

Who Is Involved:  

Franklin County Health Department  

Pregnant women and their family members/support persons  

Local community partners  

FCHD WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor (BFPC) Program  

NC Department of Health and Human Services  

When this Takes Place: 

Service Period: 6/1/2023 - 5/31/2026 

Results/Planned Measures of Impact:  

• Collect demographic data on program participants, including prenatal and postpartum contacts, breastfeeding initiation and duration, and safe sleep knowledge and practices.  
• Conduct program participant satisfaction surveys to evaluate program services and submit an annual satisfaction survey summary report.  

Discussion/Next Steps:  

• Monitor and analyze the collected data to assess the impact of the program.  
• Continuously adapt and improve program strategies based on survey feedback and data analysis.  
• Consider expanding program activities and partnerships to further reduce infant mortality rates in Franklin County.  

Sources: https://schs.dph.ncdhhs.gov/data/databook/