The Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (DOH-Pinellas) is hosting a community meeting to discuss Florida Healthy Babies 12-2 p.m., Wednesday June 22 at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Education and Conference Center, 701 4th St. S., St. Petersburg. The community-based discussion, "Reducing Infant Mortality and Racial Disparity in Pinellas” is being facilitated by Dr. Barbara Morrison-Rodriguez.

Healthy Babies is a collaborative statewide initiative designed to positively influence social determinants of health and reduce racial disparities in infant mortality. “We have made progress toward narrowing the gap, however any gap is unacceptable. We want to improve the system and bring the community together for an important conversation about how to reduce racial disparity in infant mortality. We encourage everyone to be a part of this discussion to facilitate positive change,” says Dr. Ulyee Choe, Director of DOH-Pinellas.

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 Council focuses on helping all Floridians achieve health equity. Part of the funding provided to all 67 counties supports a localized enhanced data analysis of infant mortality to share at a community-action planning meeting to address disparities in infant mortality.

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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