SAFE SLEEP WITH PROJECT CRIBS

ABOUT SAFE SLEEP

(C)aregiver Education and (R)ole Modeling of (I)n-hospital (B)est Practice for (S)afe Sleep 

Project C.R.I.B.S. is a statewide initiative aimed at improving the sleep environments of infants across Alabama. Currently, Alabama has the third-highest rate of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) in the nation. Despite longstanding recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), unsafe sleep practices remain prevalent within the home environment, often due to lack of education, cultural norms, or limited access to safe sleep resources. Hospitals, as trusted sources of health information and care, play a critical role in addressing these challenges.

 

Through a partnership between hospitals across Alabama and the Alabama Perinatal Quality Collaborative (ALPQC), Project CRIBS seeks to close these gaps by implementing standardized safe sleep education, consistently modeling safe sleeping practices during hospital stays, and providing adequate resources such as cribs or bassinets to families in need. Together, we can create safer sleep environments and reduce infant mortality across Alabama.

PROJECT AIM

The primary aim of the Safe Sleep Initiative (Project CRIBS) is to increase by 10%:

  • The percent of eligible newborns greater than 34 weeks corrected gestational age observed sleeping in “safe” environments during birth hospitalization and
  • The percentage of caregivers who correctly answer all safe sleep practice questions correctly before infant discharge among participating hospitals by June 30th, 2027.

Key objectives to attaining this aim include:

  • Ensuring sufficient staff and caregiver knowledge of safe sleep practices
  • Modeling safe sleep practices during hospitalization and
  • Ensuring a safe sleeping environment at home

Through these objectives and more, hospitals across Alabama can play a vital role in reducing SUID rates and improving infant survival outcomes.

 

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2025

Coming soon…