Halton's Health Department first in the region to be Baby Friendly

On Tuesday, May 4, 2010, Halton Regional Chair, Gary Carr accepted an official plaque from the Breastfeeding Committee of Canada (BCC), designating the Halton Region Health Department (HRHD) as Baby Friendly—the first health organization in the region and the fourth health unit in Ontario to receive this status.

“As Chair of the Board of Health, I’m proud that the Health Department continues to be leaders in the community promoting better health for all of our residents, including the very youngest,” said Chair Carr. “The Baby Friendly Initiative puts the health of new mothers and babies first by ensuring the education and support they need are in place. We can now help other health organizations in Halton do the same.”

Laura Prodanyk, past chair of the Ontario Breastfeeding Committee (OBC) and representative of the BCC, formally recognized the efforts of the department, “Receiving Baby Friendly status is a significant achievement for any health organization,” she said. “We have been impressed by the Region’s supportive environment and their relationship with other community organizations. Staff knowledge is also excellent, and we saw firsthand how parents in the community actually incorporated what the staff taught them. It’s a great step forward in the protection and promotion of breastfeeding as the norm in Halton.”

The three-day intensive assessment of the department included interviews with 14 staff and 21 moms. The two assessors also attended two prenatal classes and two Halton Prenatal Nutrition Program sessions to assess how well the department is putting their breastfeeding policies and practices into place. They also reviewed websites and curriculum, and as a final step, confirmed their findings with the five other lead assessors for Canada before presenting their report. The HRHD successfully completed the accreditation process on December 17, 2009, meeting a key priority identified by Council for last year.

For more information about the Baby Friendly Initiative, and the steps required to achieve designation, visit the OBC’s website. For more information about how the HRHD is working with other community health organizations as part of the Halton Baby Friendly Coalition, visit www.babyfriendlyhalton.ca, or call the Region at 311 or 905-825-6000.

The Regional Municipality of Halton serves more than 450,000 residents in the City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills, the Town of Milton, and the Town of Oakville. Halton Region is committed to meeting the needs of its residents through the delivery of cost-effective, quality programs and services, including water and wastewater; Regional roads and planning; emergency medical services; waste management; public health; Ontario Works (formerly social assistance); children’s and seniors’ services; social/non-profit housing; heritage programs; emergency management and economic development. For more information, dial 311 or visit Halton Region’s website at www.halton.ca