Contact:
Communications Office
786-336-1276

MIAMI – The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County is pleased to announce it will be hosting a community meeting to discuss Florida Healthy Babies. Florida Healthy Babies is a collaborative statewide initiative designed to positively influence social determinants of health and reduce racial disparities in infant mortality. The meeting will take place at 7415 Corporate Center Drive, Suite H, Miami, FL 33126 on Friday, June 17, 2016 from 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM.

 

The Florida Healthy Babies Community Meeting will consist of a formal presentation highlighting the County Infant Mortality Analysis, as well as an open dialogue with the public and key community leaders, organizations, and officials to brainstorm root causes and solutions around selected disparities and develop an action plan to improve the health of babies in Miami-Dade County.

 

Recently, the department invested $1.4 million in the Florida Healthy Babies initiative, which is an effort of the department’s Health Equity Program Council. The Council focuses on helping all Floridians achieve health equity. Part of the funding provided to all 67 counties supports a localized enhanced data analysis of infant mortality to share at a community-action planning meeting to address disparities in infant mortality.

Infant mortality is a death of a child that occurs in the first year of life (or a death between 0 and 364 days). Infant mortality represents a long-standing concern of public health and serves as a key indicator of population health.

 

“Infant mortality rates help us assess the health status of our community,” stated Lillian Rivera, RN, MSN, PhD, Administrator/Health Officer of the Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County. “We are committed to enhancing strategies to reduce infant mortality and improve quality of services for women, children, and families.”

 

The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County conducted a County Infant Mortality Analysis to review infant mortality rates, examine select maternal and infant health factors, and assess the most recent rates and information for social determinants of health. Though Miami-Dade County has seen declining infant mortality rates, persistent racial and ethnic disparities exist. Black infants demonstrate elevated infant mortality rates, almost three times that of White and Hispanic infants.

 

To RSVP please click here.

 

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

 

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.