The Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) ‘Prevent Child Abuse’ license plate is Missouri’s number one selling specialty plate. Through Fiscal Year 2025, License Plate Partner donations support CTF’s Safe Sleep Grant Program, which serves counties throughout Missouri, providing families with safe cribs and education about infant safe sleep.  Sleep-related infant death is the leading cause of infant mortality, so your donation is working to save lives. You can also check out our latest program evaluation in evaluation with KU.

Please see the following list of CTF Safe Sleep Partners:

Children’s Mercy Hospital | Safe Sleep Safe Babies Community Network
This initiative aims to increase safe sleep practices, reduce sleep-related deaths, and reduce safe sleep disparities in Missouri counties which have some of the highest rates of infant mortality. Our goal is to serve families and communities through a multi-layered approach focusing on the distribution of safe sleep surfaces, partnering with safe sleep educators at community agencies, and collaborating with home visiting agencies within Promise 1000 – Home Visiting Collective to educate families on safe sleep practices, along with group education and marketing endeavors.
childrensmercy.org | Kansas City, MO

Community Partnership of the Ozarks | Southwest Missouri First Birthday Safe Sleep Project
The Southwest Missouri First Birthday Safe Sleep Project seeks to ensure more of Missouri’s children will celebrate their first birthday, having spent their sleeping moments alone, on their backs, and in a safe crib. The project delivers Pack N Plays and safe sleep education to 28 counties across Southwest Missouri. Our goal is to serve at least 200 families through one-on-one home visits, classes and community events educating parents, grandparents, and loved ones on the most current safe sleep recommendations.
cpozarks.org | Springfield, MO

Nurses for Newborns | Safe Sleep First
This collaborative links safe sleep efforts of 18 partner health and community organizations to promote infant safe sleep in many East-Central Missouri counties including St. Louis and St. Louis City. This project incorporates elements of outreach and eduction for fathers and grandparents in the St. Louis region as well as crib distribution and safe sleep education. This project builds upon 5 years of collective work and passion for safe sleep shared by the original partners as part of the Infant Health Action Team (IHAT). The distribution of most safe sleep surfaces and materials will focus on populations experiencing the most disparities in maternal and infant health.
nursesfornewborns.org | St. Louis, MO

St. Joseph Youth Alliance | Safe Sleep 4 Babies
The Youth Alliance works in collaboration with local hospitals, health departments, federally qualified healthcare clinics and other community organizations to deliver the Safe Sleep 4 Babies program to individuals in Andrew, Buchanan, Clinton and DeKalb counties. Through this program, staff work to address safe sleep disparities that exist within the service area. Strategies include the distribution of portable cribs and safe sleep education, support from the Keeping Kids Safe Coalition, the Safe Sleep Ambassador Program, the creation of a Safe Sleep Certified Hospital, and efforts to promote safe sleep legislation.
youth-alliance.org | St. Joseph, MO

The Community Partnership | Nap Time, Bed Time, Every Time — Safe Sleep for Babies
This initiative focuses on advancing the safe sleep certifications for two hospitals: Phelps Health and Texas County Memorial Hospital. It also works to increase awareness through public service announcements (PSAs) and social media posts. A new effort focuses on supporting OB/GYN and Family Practice physicians in providing safe sleep information and materials to their patients.
thecommunitypartnership.org | Rolla, MO

Resources

Safe Sleep Missouri
American Academy of Pediatrics
National Institute of Child Health and Development
Safe Sleep Academy 
Cribs for Kids