Holy Cross Silver Spring and Holy Cross Germantown have announced that they have achieved Gold Certification from the Cribs for Kids® National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program.
This certification recognizes healthcare team members’ commitment to best practices in infant safe sleep, ensuring the highest standards of care for their youngest patients. By earning this certification, Holy Cross Health demonstrates “adherence to rigorous guidelines established by the Cribs for Kids® National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program.”
Cribs for Kids® is a national safe sleep initiative dedicated to reducing infant mortality. “Sleep-related deaths are the number one reason we lose our babies each year—3,400 infants annually,” said Michael H. Goodstein, M.D., neonatologist and medical director at Cribs for Kids®. “Hospitals play a key role in modeling safe sleep practices. We are proud to recognize Holy Cross Health commitment to our Safe Sleep program.”
With more than 10,000 births annually at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring alone, Holy Cross Health plays a vital role in maternal and newborn care. “It’s not just the numbers we pride ourselves on,” said Maggie Perih, Chief Nursing Officer at Holy Cross Health. “Women continue to choose to have their babies here because they have confidence in us. That’s what means the most to us.” This certification further strengthens that trust, ensuring families receive the highest level of care and safe sleep education to help prevent infant deaths.
Judy Bannon, CEO and founder of Cribs for Kids®, added, “The National Infant Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program launched in 2015. It is rooted in the Safe Sleep Recommendations made by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the research that demonstrates families do at home what they see done in the hospital. There are over 500 infant safe sleep certified hospitals across the country and beyond. We are proud to welcome Holy Cross Health to our program, where together, we will have a profound effect on saving babies’ lives.”
For more information about Cribs for Kids® National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification Program, visit www.cribsforkids.org/hospitalcertification.