DeWine praised home visiting programs, like Help Me Grow under the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, saying the rate of infant mortality among families that participated in this voluntary program was lower compared to the statewide average.
“The home visiting programs support moms and families by providing trained professionals to assist them throughout pregnancy and after the child is born,” DeWine said. “These programs have proven to be extremely successful.”
From 2019 to 2023, the families that took part in the home visiting programs experienced an infant mortality rate of 2.7 deaths per 1,000 live births, DeWine said.
For comparison, the state average for that same time period was 7 deaths per 1,000 live births, he said.
The Help Me Grow program is available statewide, but the state is also working to expand a model of support seen under the Cradle Cincinnati program.
Cradle Cincinnati’s model focuses on bringing together parents, caregivers, health care professionals and community members to support moms and babies. They have played a pivotal role in reducing infant mortality rates in Hamilton County, DeWine said.
“Expanding this model through our Partner for Change initiative is another example of how we are continuing to seek new and innovative ways to protect our children and families,” DeWine said.
In 2022, Hamilton County’s infant mortality rate was 8.7 deaths for every 1,000 live births. In the time since, this number has dropped to 5.5 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is a decrease of well over 30% in just a few short years.
“Ohio is at a critical juncture in our fight against infant mortality,” said Kara Wente, director of the Ohio Department of Children and Youth.
Grant partners in four additional counties have been selected to collaborate with the Ohio Department of Children and Youth to expand this model into communities with the state’s highest birth and infant mortality rates.
Those counties include Montgomery, Lucas, Franklin and Cuyahoga counties. Dayton Children’s Hospital is the grant partner for Montgomery County.
Montgomery County’s infant mortality rate was approximately 9.8 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023, according to Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County’s Community Health Assessment.
When taking race into account, the infant mortality rate for Black infants, 16.3 deaths per 1,000 live births, was more than twice as high as white infants, 6.5 deaths per 1,000 live births.
“Now is the time to lean into what we know works by expanding this model and bringing its innovative, community-driven strategies into other areas of our state,” Wente said.
To get more information about home visiting under the Help Me Grow program, visit helpmegrow.org.
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