Hoyleton | ParentSmart Program

Hoyleton Announces ParentSmart Program

Due to a 40% increase in infant deaths through 2018-2019, Hoyleton Youth and Family Services started its ParentSmart initiative in September, 2019. The ParentSmart program takes aim at educating young parents and guardians of infants on the dangers and risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or commonly known as SIDS. SIDS became a common term in 1969 to bring national awareness to unexplained deaths in infants that shared common characteristics in their passing.

The ParentSmart program is headed by Haunah Vanlaningham. Haunah works and is a volunteer at Hoyleton Youth and Family Services Prevention Department, and is the administrator and moderator for the growing ParentSmart community on Facebook. Haunah is currently in the process of obtaining her Master’s degree. As a mother of one, and with another child on the way, Haunah brings with her a passion for children, a desire to take an active role in the prevention of infant death, and is an advocate for the safety of all children.

The ParentSmart program focuses on topics such as the ABCs of Safe Sleep practice. The ABC’s are that the child should sleep Alone, on his/her Back and in a Crib. ParentSmart coordinates speakers for safety seminars, and provides a variety of resources for SIDS awareness. ParentSmart takes an active role in the community via social media with its primary focus being on education, communication, and plans to introduce interactive classes with partners in the community.

There are a variety of ways to become involved with ParentSmart. Follow their page on Facebook (@ParentSmartCDITF) to learn more about what Sleep Safe for infants and children includes, how you can educate on the prevention of infant deaths, and more importantly, how you can help other young couples and new guardians of infants keep children safe.

If you have questions about Hoyleton’s ParentSmart program, please reach out via Facebook messenger or you can email Haunah at cditf@wordpress.compu-type.net. If you witness the mistreatment of a child or have concerns about the safety of an infant, please reach out to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services 24 hour hotline immediately at 1.800.25ABUSE.

#Hoyleton125 #ParentSmartCDITF #HoyletonCAREs

Informational: ParentSmart is part of a cooperative with the Illinois Child Death Investigation Task Force of which Hoyleton Youth and Family Services is a fiscal agency thereof.