BSLA Baby-Friendly Hospitals Project RFQ |
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• Best Start LA Through BSLA, First 5 LA seeks to optimize the social, emotional, cognitive, language, physical and motor development of Los Angeles County’s youngest children. Further, the Commission recognizes that addressing the developmental potential of young children must be done within the context of the multiple environments that affect their development. Best Start LA is designed to both strengthen the integration of existing First 5 LA investments and to address the need to make additional investments using the best available evidence of what works as a key criterion. The long-term vision is a Best Start LA model that is sustainable and scalable for all communities in the county. For more information on Best Start LA, please click here. BSLA BABY-FRIENDLY HOSPITALS PROJECT The BSLA Baby-Friendly Hospitals Project will be a direct complement to other Best Start LA components as it will enhance and support a continuum of care to improve initiation and duration of breastfeeding by improving breastfeeding policies and procedures in birthing hospitals. This improvement in breastfeeding policies will also support BSLA’s outcome of strengthened “attachment and bonding” between mother and child as it is aimed at increasing exclusive breastfeeding. The strongest risk factors for early breastfeeding termination are late breastfeeding initiation and supplementing the infant, making imperative that hospitals adopt and follow institutional policies that protect, promote and support breastfeeding. Institutional changes in maternity care practices effectively increase breastfeeding initiation and duration as most children are born in a hospital or birthing center. Unfortunately, in Los Angeles County, the 2007 average exclusive hospital breastfeeding rate at discharge is 24.1%, compared with California’s rate of 42.7% and 67.3% for California hospitals already designated Baby-Friendly. The First 5 LA Board of Commissioners recognizes the great need in LA County to improve breastfeeding rates. This BLSA Baby-Friendly Hospital Project is a key activity for Best Start LA with a total allocation of up to $10,500,000. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ) First 5 LA is seeking a qualified consultant or organization interested in working with First 5 LA staff and Commission to assist in implementing the Best Start LA Baby-Friendly Hospital Project.
A list of questions and answers received at the information session on June 29, 2009 was compiled as Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). The FAQ will be updated periodically as new questions are submitted and answered. The application period is now closed. Individuals and organizations that wished to apply for the BSLA Baby-Friendly Hospitals RFQ must have completed an application online by July 30, 2009. The application should also include the important documents listed below.
* No First 5 LA format is required. Applicants may submit existing documents or records. For additional information or further questions, please email babyfriendly@first5la.org. |
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