Kootenai Health: A Gold Safe Sleep Hospital

Kootenai Health’s commitment to safe infant sleep best practices, education and community outreach has earned it designation as a Gold Safe Sleep Hospital. This is the second time Kootenai has received the title.

Cribs for Kids® is an organization that provides cribs to babies whose mothers cannot afford them. They also educate mothers about the dangers of unsafe sleep environments.

Medical Director of Pediatrics Vanessa Carroll, M.D., said over 3,000 infant deaths in the United States each year are attributable to sleep-related causes.

“Kootenai Health is fully committed to infant safe sleep to reduce the risk of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed (ASSB) and unsafe sleep-related injuries,” Dr. Carroll said.

“We recognize the importance of educating our families about safe sleep practices while in the hospital so they are empowered for success at home. Achieving this highest level of designation twice is a testament to the strength and commitment of our pediatrics, post-partum, and neonatal intensive care teams to provide the best care and promote the safety of infants in our community.”

Kootenai Health NICU Medical Director Brook Lang, M.D., echoed Dr. Carroll’s sentiment.

“Maintaining the Gold Safe Sleep designation from Cribs for Kids® at Kootenai Health is a testament to our nurses, physicians and ancillary staffs’ dedication to parent and family education for safe sleep and newborn development,” Dr. Lang said.

Crib for Kids® has a network of over 1,750 partners across the country who share the united goal to spread a clear, concise safe sleep message and reduce infant sleep-related deaths.