October 6, 2025
Media Contact: Bryan Hooten, 804-807-1727, bryan.hooten@vdh.virginia.gov
Richmond and Henrico Health Districts and Henrico Department of Social Services Promote Safe Infant Sleep
October is SIDS Awareness Month
RICHMOND, Va. – In support of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month, Richmond and Henrico Health Districts (RHHD) partners with Henrico Department of Social Services (HDSS) to encourage expecting and new parents and caregivers to talk with their pediatrician or other healthcare provider about creating a safe sleep environment for children under the age of two.
“Awareness is one of the strongest tools we have to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome,” said Richmond and Henrico Health Districts Maternity Navigation Program Coordinator Adranae Mena. “RHHD provides safe sleep education through the Low-Income Safety Seat Program. We provide families with the right equipment for their vehicles and the knowledge to protect infants in their crib or bassinet. Through partnerships, education, and community support, RHHD gives parents and caregivers the confidence and resources they need to help infants sleep safely.”
“As a community in Henrico, we equip parents and caregivers with safe practices for infant naps and overnight sleep,” said Henrico County Department of Social Services Assistant Director of Service Programs Mandi Green. “Creating consistent habits—having babies sleep alone, on their backs, and in a crib—will promote the health and well-being of our youngest residents.”
RHHD and HDSS offer the following tips for creating a safe sleep environment:
- Always place babies on their backs for naps and when they go to sleep at night.
- Make sure the sleep surface is firm, flat, level, and covered only with a fitted sheet.
- Share a room with babies for at least the first six months. Give babies their own sleep space (crib, bassinet, or portable play yard) in your room, separate from your bed.
- Take the #ClearTheCrib Challenge and remove any extra items in the sleep area including soft objects, toys, and crib bumpers.
For more tips and information, visit the National Institutes of Health Safe to Sleep campaign.
In 2022, there were about 3,700 sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUID) in the U.S. 1,040 of those deaths were from accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed. In 2023, there were 69 cases of SUID in Virginia.
Visit rhhd.gov for more health and safety information. Follow RHHD on Instagram (@richmondcity_hd) and Facebook.
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