News — Dominique Johnson, Infant Safe Sleep Coordinator for Lurie Children’s Unintentional Injury Prevention Program, is a driving force behind the hospital’s focus on one of the most preventable causes of infant deaths: unsafe sleep environments. This work is especially urgent in Chicago, where Black infants are 14 times more likely to die from sleep-related causes compared to their white counterparts. Latino infants in Cook County also face a risk 2.5 times higher than the national average, despite generally lower rates of infant mortality nationwide.
Dominique’s work is hands-on and educational—works collaboratively with community-based organizations, FQHC’s, and hospital to support parents and caregivers, distributing portable cribs and sleep kits, and collaborating with community-based organizations and FQHC’s to make safe sleep a priority. “I love what I do and the way that I get to serve families,” Dominique shares. The Safe Sleep program offers support for infants from birth up to four months old and is one of the only programs in the region to send portable cribs directly to family’s homes.
What Sets Lurie Children’s Apart
Lurie Children’s demonstrates a commitment to promoting safe sleep practices. One example is the hospital’s recent integration of a critical question into patient screenings: asking parents if their baby has a safe place to sleep at home. This question, newly added to the hospital's screening protocol, helps providers identify at-risk families and connect them with resources.
However, gaps remain—particularly in communication among healthcare providers. “When a baby dies from sleep-related causes, their pediatrician might not know until it’s time to schedule their next appointment,” Johnson says. While Lurie Children’s new screening question is a step forward, Dominique emphasizes the need for more communication and coordination between care and resource providers to help close the gaps.
The Importance of Trust
The Safe Sleep program places a strong emphasis on peer-to-peer education. “We know that behavior change is more effective when it comes from someone you trust,” Dominique explains. Our program offers a peer-to-peer trainer model, training lay-persons and partners on the impact of unsafe sleep practices in our Chicago community. During the training ambassadors are educated on the risks associated with unsafe sleep practices, AAP recommendations and how to build trust to deliver the message to families. Once trained, our ambassadors go out into the Chicagoland community and jobs, to educate expectant parents and expectant families on the importance of providing infant safety practices in the first 12 months of life. During our focus groups parents revealed that simply telling families to place babies on their backs to sleep isn’t resonating. “We need to explain why it’s so important and what the risks are if these practices aren’t followed,” shares Dominique. Born and raised in the Cabrini-Green area and later in Chicago Lawn, Dominique is a natural fit for this role. Her deep ties to Chicago, along with her expertise in public health and public policy, make her an invaluable asset to Lurie Children’s efforts to educate the community.
Scaling Up
In the past year, awareness and referrals to the Safe Sleep program have grown significantly, thanks to Dominique’s strong partnerships with other hospitals and organizations. Dominique is interested in further building out the program in Chicago’s Latino communities. “Reaching non-English-speaking families is a big barrier,” Dominique notes. She is optimistic, however, that as the program grows and word spreads, more families will benefit from the resources Lurie Children’s provides. “We’ve seen our impact grow, and that’s what keeps me going.”
Looking to the Future
Dominique has big plans for the coming year. She hopes to expand the program’s reach through social media and video messaging and is working to create more branded educational materials in collaboration with Lurie Children’s pediatricians. "We need to make it clear that safe sleep is a priority for Lurie Children's,” she says, stressing the importance of visibility and consistent messaging.
While scaling up the program has its challenges, Dominique is determined to continue the work she loves. "We’re supporting the most vulnerable families,” she says. “It’s difficult, but it’s also the most rewarding part of my job." As Dominique looks to the future, she remains focused on what she does best: helping families give their babies a safe, healthy start.
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