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The National SUID/SIDS Project
at the National Center for Cultural Competence

• Purpose of the Project
• Objectives of the Project
• What We Do
• Resources
• Other SUID/SIDS Centers funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB)

Purpose of the Project

Despite a decline in overall infant mortality in the United States and an approximately 50% initial decline in reported SUID deaths since the institution of the Back to Sleep Campaign, there continue to be significant racial and ethnic disparities in the rates of infant death. Thus the families needing both bereavement support and risk reduction efforts are more likely to be culturally, racially and ethnically diverse.

The SUID/SIDS Project at the National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC) is designed to impact state and local SUID programs, family support and advocacy organizations, national organizations related to SUID/SIDS issues and the three other National Centers funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Activities of the SUID/SIDS Project are designed to increase the capacity of these programs and organizations to incorporate cultural and linguistic competence into their services and supports, materials and training efforts and community engagement.

Objectives of the Project

• Collaboration Work with each of the MCHB funded national Centers to increase the capacity for cultural and linguistic competence within the systems and programs addressing SUID/SIDS.

• Web-based Technology Use web-based technology to provide technical assistance to the stakeholders and constituency groups concerned with SUID/SIDS to increase their capacity to incorporate cultural and linguistic competence.

• Knowledge Development and Dissemination Contribute to the body of knowledge on culturally and linguistically competent evidence-based and promising practices related to SUID/SIDS.

• Community of Learners Support existing and new communities of learners to incorporate culturally and linguistically competent values, policies, structures and practices in SUID/SIDS related programs.

What We Do

During the current project period the SUID/SIDS Project will: 

• Work with the other three MCHB funded national centers to develop a collaborative and integrated set of activities to support the field;

• Respond to requests for information and technical assistance via a toll free number (1-800-788-2066) and e-mail (cultural@georgetown.edu )

• Develop a feature on the SUID/SIDS web page that will quickly connect users to data about disparities in SUID and resource materials that address cultural and linguistic competence in risk reduction and bereavement support from the NCCC and from other sources; 

• Update information for families about SUID/SIDS and family resources available to families who have lost an infant or experienced miscarriage or still birth on the Spanish-language portal of the NCCC website;

• Expand the on-line resource database on the NCCC website;

• Identify and promote promising practices  on NCCC website;

• Maintain and update a pool of consultants on cultural and linguistic competence and brokering consultant pool services for SUID/SIDS programs.

• Provide presentations and exhibits at national and regional meetings;

• Provide discussion-starting postings on the Project Impact listserv ;

• Create on-line and distance learning opportunities for communities of learners about cultural and linguistic competence in SUID/SIDS programs and services;

• Create products and publications  on issues of interest to the field on cultural and linguistic competence.