Posted February 26, 2016
While Sarasota County has a rising overall breastfeeding rate and multiple organizations offering affordable support, there are many gaps that need addressed, particularly racial disparities in breastfeeding. Thanks to a grant from NACCHO (National Association of County and City Health Officials) and a partnership with Sarasota Memorial Hospital and the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County, we now have an opportunity to address these concerns.
Drop-in clinics and breastfeeding clubs will be held in currently underserved areas of our community. Located in the Sarasota Health Department, Newtown area, and North Port, these free support groups will be staffed by peer counselors, newly trained breastfeeding staff, and seasoned breastfeeding professionals for immediate help and support, as well as rapid referral. Training will be offered to provide the most up-to-date evidence-based education available for local professionals and family support workers.
Due to the increasing disparity in breastfeeding rates, an innovative, culturally relevant peer support program for African-American women will be implemented with continued support through Raising Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE). (If you are an African-American woman who is passionate about breastfeeding, click here to learn more about the ROSE Community Transformer Training!)
In addition, there will be ample opportunities to share best practices through a community workshop and sharing panel and bi-monthly meetings in our successful and well-established local breastfeeding taskforce, the Breastfeeding Advocates of Sarasota County. This cooperative effort will result in a cohesive, knowledgeable breastfeeding support available to the entire community, including areas that are at-risk and underserved.