Sleep On It

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2014

When three infants died in just more than a year after being placed in unsafe sleeping positions in licensed Dakota County child care homes, we launched Sleep On It — a campaign to save babies’ lives. Through compelling postcards sent to more than 800 licensed child care providers, we stressed the severe consequences of losing an infant in an unsafe sleeping position. The message was received. More than half of those providers voluntarily attended an optional training session we developed on preventing infant deaths. They weren’t the only ones to take notice. Almost two dozen other counties requested the use of our campaign materials, and the Minnesota Department of Human Services collaborated with us to promote the message statewide. An event at a Dakota County day care home marked the start of what the Minnesota Governor officially declared as 2013 Infant Safe Sleep Week. But most importantly, our overall goal — to end preventable infant deaths — is being realized. Since Sleep On It began in April 2013, there have been no infant deaths in licensed Dakota County child care homes.