Riley County Health Department - 2024

The Riley County Health Department (RCHD) Maternal and Child Health (MCH) program and Women Infants and Children (WIC) work to improve the health and well-being of Kansas mothers, infants, children, and youth. They received a $3,375 grant through Greater Manhattan to host the third annual Safe Sleep Community Baby Shower. This event invited expecting families and families with infants up to a year old to learn about safe sleep practices, engage with community partners, and receive a safe sleep bundle to help reduce sleep-related deaths in Riley County. This year, 394 individuals attended, and 135 families were educated. After the event, participants showed a significant increase in safe sleep intentions, including placing babies only on their backs (84% to 97%), using safe sleep surfaces (90% to 99%), and including only safe items like firm mattresses and wearable blankets (73% to 95%).