LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A new task force is emerging in Lackawanna County with the goal to prevent infant deaths in the commonwealth. The group met earlier Monday for the second time to plan their next steps.
This task force and their partners are working together to educate the public on sleep safety for the children of NEPA.
The NEPA Sleep Safety Task Force aims to bring together community partners to promote safe sleep practices and raise public awareness.
The move comes as Lackawanna County's rates of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome remain above the state average as of June.
"It ranges from negligence, it ranges from substance abuse, whether that's medical marijuana or other intoxicating substances, and in those cases, unfortunately criminal charges will be filed, but sometimes it's just parents working two jobs, trying to get by, and they're trying to get by, and in that case, we have to be a little bit more understanding," NEPA Sleep Safety Task Force Co-Chair and Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher said.
The group intends to reach a majority of the people involved in any child's day-to-day life, not just the primary caregivers.
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"What we really want to talk about is that the grandma or the grandpa might be involved in watching the children, it might be an aunt and uncle, it might be a neighbor, it might be a teenage babysitter who only sees once every month or something like that," NEPA Sleep Safety Task Force Co-Chair Meghan Lennox Gagorik explained.
Members don't expect any trouble finding help with getting their task force running.
"We are full of existing resources; there are lots of places that there are pack 'n plays and cribs available, but we also know that when a call for help is put out there, people will raise their hands, they will show up, and they will do what is necessary," Gagorik continued.
"It's really just about awareness and about saving kids' lives. We've had way too many child deaths, baby deaths this year. We don't want to see it, we want kids to grow up happy, healthy, to contribute to our community, be a part of our community. That's the goal," Gallagher stated.
The task force is now looking for the funds for the program.
