Most readers are familiar with the Healthy Start Coalition, but did you know that part of our funding comes from the Children's Services Council of St. Lucie County?

Our Crib Safety and Newborn Home Visitation programs are both funded under the Healthy Families and Babies category of the Children's Services Council. Our Crib Safety program provides a safe crib and crib safety, as well as "safe sleeping environment" related information to participants of the Healthy Start and Healthy Families Florida programs.

This program has helped to prevent and reduce the number of crib-related injuries and deaths in St. Lucie County. Through our Newborn Home Visitation program, all babies who are born in St. Lucie County at either Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute or St. Lucie Medical Center are visited by a nurse within 24 hours of their arrival at home.

The nurses provide physical assessments of mothers and babies including weight, feeding and jaundice assessment. The home assessment also includes inspection of the pool, fire, home and infant safety. Our nurses work closely with pediatricians, OB/GYN practitioners and other community agencies to provide care to families of newborns. The success of our programs means that newborns and infants are safer in their sleeping environment and in their homes and that new moms and newborns have the support and education they need to get started on the right path to being a healthy and happy family.

Our success is due, in part, to the funding we receive from the Children's Services Council of St. Lucie County, and we are grateful to it for its continued support. Parents of newborns and infants or anyone needing additional information can visit healthystartcoalitionslc.org or call us at 772-467-2016.

Editor's note: von Seelen is executive director of the St. Lucie County Healthy Start Coalition.