About our program
Launched in 2015, Cribs for Kids National Safe Sleep Hospital Certification program recognizes individual hospitals and hospital systems for their commitment to infant safe sleep. As a national authority on infant safe sleep, Cribs for Kids hospital certification program confers a bronze, silver, or gold designation to hospitals that model and teach infant safe sleep best practices. By becoming certified, hospitals join our mission to protect our babies from sleep-related deaths.*
Achieving certification should be a rewarding journey, uniting your healthcare team members in the goal to reduce SIDS/SUID. Earning certification is to be celebrated by staff and leadership, elevating your hospital’s reputation in the community.
Follow us on social media to learn about our Certified Hospitals and all things safe sleep!
facts
- There is no fee charged for National Safe Sleep Certification
- Any hospital caring for patients under one year of age is eligible for certification
- Using a systemwide infant safe sleep policy, system-level certification is available. This option still allows individual hospitals within the system to certify at their care level.
- Certification is awarded for five years, requiring an annual report to maintain certification.
- U.S. Military hospitals around the world are eligible for Safe Sleep certification. To learn more email:
hospitalcertification@cribsforkids.org

getting started
Review the requirements for each certification level to determine your hospital or hospital system’s certification goal – Bronze, Silver, or Gold.
Designated hospital certification personnel are expected to review the elements in the Hospital Certification Toolkit, below, prior to submitting their certification application. Email hospitalcertification@cribsforkids.org with any specific questions or to schedule a call.

Certified Safe Sleep Hospital
Bronze Requirements
- Develop a safe sleep policy statement incorporating the AAP’s Infant Safe Sleep guidelines.
- Train staff on safe sleep guidelines, your hospital’s safe sleep policy, and the importance of modeling safe sleep for parents.
- Educate parents on the importance of safe sleep practices, and implement these practices in the hospital setting.

Certified Safe Sleep Leader
Silver Requirements
- Develop a safe sleep policy statement
- Train staff
- Educate parents
- Use or distribute wearable blankets to model or educate no loose bedding in the crib.
- Program Evaluation via unit based Safe Sleep compliance audits.

Certified Safe Sleep Champion
Gold Requirements
- Develop a safe sleep policy statement
- Train staff
- Educate parents
- Use or distribute wearable blankets
- Program Evaluation
- Provide community and media outreach on safe sleep in your community.
- Affiliation with or become a Cribs for Kids® partner to provide a safety-approved sleep alternative to at risk parents in your hospital.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
– Hospitals providing infant sleep boxes or other unapproved or unsafe sleep space solutions are not eligible for certification.
– Hospitals must remain at their initial level of certification for a minimum of 6 months prior to upgrading to a higher level.
– All Complete Submissions will be reviewed within 30 days.
Incomplete applications cannot be reviewed. Be sure all narrative elements are addressed (see narrative guide), policy requirements met (see policy checklist) and additional documents as per the level of certification are included.
Hospital Certification Application Form
Please review the following considerations prior to beginning
the online application.
- The application must be submitted in one session. If you are unable to do this, consider copying the fields required into a separate word document that can be completed and edited prior to the final online submission.
- Use a suggested web browser. Be sure you are completing the form using one of the following web browsers: Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari
- Check your hospital firewall. If you find your hospital firewall may prevent you from uploading documents to submit electronically, please complete the fields required and email the documents separately to hospitalcertification@cribsforkids.org
- Check for a confirmation message upon submission. If after pressing “Submit,” the “Thank you! Your Hospital Application has been submitted.” text box does not appear, please scroll up through the form to ensure all fields have been properly completed.
*System-level applicants, please email hospitalcertification@cribsforkids.org to schedule a phone call prior to submission.
* Indicates Required Field
(If you are upgrading to a higher level, please fill out the Renewal Application Form here.)
NOTE: All Complete Submissions will be reviewed within 30 days.
Incomplete applications cannot be reviewed. Be sure all narrative elements are addressed (see narrative guide), policy requirements met (see policy checklist) and additional documents as per the level of certification are included.
Map of Certified Safe Sleep Hospitals
our sponsors



















contact
Devon George, dgeorge@cribsforkids.org call 412-322-5680 ext. 112