September is National Infant Mortality Awareness Month — a time to bring attention to the rate of babies dying before their first birthday in the United States. The United States has a high rate of newborn and infant death; The same is true in Florida and regionally. While the infant mortality rate in Northeast Florida… Read More
Some of Jacksonville’s highest-risk moms are enrolled in a new program that allows them to have nutritious meals and receive additional resources to help their babies grow healthy. Low-income, pregnant women are identified by Shands Jacksonville — including Healthy Start and Nurse Family Partnership clients — to receive food and services through the Second Harvest… Read More
Congratulations to former Coalition Board member Dr. Thomas Chiu for being a recipient of a prestigious certificate of appreciation from the Florida Medical Association. Dr. Chiu recently stepped down as chair of pediatrics at the UF College of Medicine-Jacksonville, but remains on faculty and was appointed as medical director of external affairs for pediatrics. He serves… Read More
The Magnolia Project, the Coalition’s federally-funded Healthy Start project that focuses on preconception health in Jacksonville’s urban core, is one of several dozen programs featured in a new compendium released by the Association for Maternal and Child Health Programs in July 2012. The compendium, entitled “Forging a Comprehensive Initiative to Improve Birth Outcomes and Reduce Infant… Read More
The American Academy of Pediatrics has updated its guidelines on newborn circumcision, stating that the benefits clearly outweigh the risks, which justifies families having access to the procedure. The revision did not go as far as recommending circumcision for all newsborns but instead recommended each family make the decision based on their beliefs and discussions with their doctors.… Read More