Health Department

Sedgwick County has a community health problem that is affecting it's smallest, most vulnerable residents - high infant mortality rates. The overall rate of infant death in Sedgwick County is 8.1 per 1,000 live births and a staggering 18.8 in every 1,000 live black infant births.  The Sedgwick County Healthy Babies program is taking a community approach to understanding and addressing this important public health indicator.

Project Imprint is a community initiative involving multiple disciplines, organizations and individuals seeking answers as to why infants are dying in our county. Based on data review and interviews with parents who have experienced a loss, Project Imprint makes recommendations that may result in increased knowledge about the issue, changes to service delivery and policy change.

Read more about the initiation of Project Imprint.

View a chart illustrating the Project Imprint work flow.

See a list of Project Imprint Community Response Team members.

Read an overview of the infant mortality issue by the Kansas Blue Ribbon Panel on Infant Mortality.

Read an article about the history of the national Fetal Infant Mortality Review program.

Project Imprint Recommendations - 2010

Project Imprint Year in Review - July 2010 to July 2011

Helpful Resources

• Kansas Blue Ribbon Panel on Infant Mortality: www.kansasinfantmortality.org

• SIDS Network of Kansas: www.sidsks.org

• Kansas March of Dimes Chapter: www.marchofdimes.com/kansas

• Office of Minority Health with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “A Healthy Baby Begins with You” Campaign: www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov

• Dr. Michael Lu’s work on fighting disparities in infant mortality: www.jsonline.com

• Article: Understanding Racial and Ethnic Disparities in U.S. Infant Mortality Rates