NICEVILLE — The Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County (DOH-Okaloosa) will host a community meeting to discuss Florida Healthy Babies.
Florida Healthy Babies is a collaborative statewide initiative designed to positively influence social determinants of health and reduce racial disparities in infant mortality.
The meeting will take place at Crosspoint United Methodist Church in Niceville, Florida on June 6, 2016 at 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM.
“Infant mortality is an important indicator of the overall health of a community. Infant deaths reflect a communities focus on women’s and maternal health, access to quality medical care, socioeconomic conditions, and individual behaviors,” stated Dr. Karen A. Chapman, Director of DOH-Okaloosa. “The health disparities in infant mortality remain a serious problem in Okaloosa County, and we’ve seen little improvement in the last fifteen years. Working more collaboratively with community partners, we can bridge the gap and give all babies a chance at a happy and healthy life.”
Recently, the department invested $1.4 million in the Florida Healthy Babies initiative, which is an effort of the department’s Health Equity Program Council.
The Health Equity Program Council focuses on helping all Floridians achieve health equity. Part of the funding was provided to all 67 counties to conduct an enhanced data analysis of infant mortality and to host community-action planning meetings to address disparities in infant mortality.
What: Florida Department of Health in Okaloosa County
Florida Healthy Babies Community Meeting
When: June 6, 2016, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: Crosspoint United Methodist Church
214 Partin Drive South
Niceville, Florida 32578
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Florida Healthy Babies community meeting set June 6