Lou Whitmire

Reporter

MANSFIELD - The concept is simple: A cardboard box that serves as a baby's bed for the first months of life.

Use of the baby boxes has been credited with helping Finland achieve one of the lowest infant mortality rates in the world, by reducing cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

The local Baby Box project kicked off Friday at the Mansfield Area Y with representatives from various community agencies sharing how the project can decrease the infant mortality rate locally and statewide.

"It's a clear example of our commitment to improving our community's infant mortality rate as well as the leadership in this community in this particular area for Ohio," said Richland County Health Commissioner Martin Tremmel.

Tremmel said Richland County is the first to launch the Baby Box initiative in Ohio. The statewide Ohio Baby Box program is being launched in partnership with major hospital systems and health organizations across the state.

In 2017, the Ohio program will distribute about 140,000 Baby Boxes annually, ensuring that every expecting family in Ohio has access to this free resource regardless of socio-economic background.

Richland County's 2016 infant mortality rate was 10.4 per thousand live births, or 12 infant deaths out of 1,154 births, according to Richland Public Health statistics.

Ohio's infant mortality rates are among the worst in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control 2014 data, the infant mortality rate for Caucasian babies in Ohio is 6.3, signifying that six infant deaths occur per 1,000 live births before their first birthday. The rate is 12.9 for black babies.

This translates to an overall rate of 7.1 infant deaths in Ohio compared to a national rate of 6.0 infant deaths, ranking Ohio 44 out of 50 states for infant mortality, according to Richland Public Health.

Tremmel, who stood in front of dozens of cardboard Baby Boxes, said the needle is not moving as far as officials would like.

He said the health department attempts to reach parents with a safe sleep message: "Alone. On the back. In the crib or ABC."

"We expect to use this tool, the Baby Box, all the boxes you see here and many, many more that are affiliated with the variety of agencies who are partnering with us as additional tools in the tool box, as we like to refer to this, in our efforts to improve infant mortality," he said.

The Baby Box Co., the company behind the global integrated program, Friday announced that Ohio is the second state to launch a universal program where all expecting and new parents can receive a free Baby Box by completing online parenting education.

Tremmel lauded Richland Source reporter Brittany Schock for a series of articles called "Healing Hope, Saving Babies Means Thinking Inside the Box."

"Brittany in writing that article came upon a couple things. No. 1, the country of Finland has an infant mortality rate of 2.3, the United States, the most developed country in the whole world, has an infant mortality rate of 6.0," he said.

"It went from a story to a discussion to a critique to some action items to where you see Cristen (Gilbert, CEO at the YMCA) and some members of her team at the YMCA and many others in the room that have adopted and are getting in front of and behind the Baby Box concept," Tremmel said.

Boxes are available at the Mansfield Area Y, Richland Public Health and CHAPS.

For information, contact Richland Public Health at 419-774-4500 or the Mansfield Y at 419-522-3511.

lwhitmir@nncogannett.com

419-521-7223

Twitter: @LWhitmir