18 WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG
TAKING THE “PULSE” OF
BROOKLYN’S HEALTH As it relates to public health, Borough President Adams has
rolled out initiatives to increase awareness and improve the life of
Brooklynites. People who are healthier tend to be more proactive
in making sure that their families are healthy as well, and it is an
important step to building a stronger, safer, and healthier Brooklyn.
A key focus of his and the entire borough’s has been the state
of our hospitals. Borough President Adams has been a strong
advocate for reevaluating and overhauling the borough’s healthcare
delivery system to create a sustainable network for all Brooklynites,
particularly for those who are underserved. He has also worked
closely with local, state and federal legislators to fi ght for resources
that will keep institutions like Brookdale Hospital, Interfaith Medical
Center, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center and Long Island College
Hospital as viable healthcare providers.
Obesity is a crisis affecting the borough, especially its youth,
which particularly concerns Borough President Adams and his
administration. In April, he hosted youth baseball and softball
league coaches, commissioners and athletic directors at his fi rst
meet-and-greet aimed at organizing youth sports and providing
support services for these organizations. In many circumstances,
these leagues may be the only physical exercise for some children,
keeping them busy with positive activities that benefi t them and
their community. Children who engage in team sports have lower
rates of chronic health conditions associated with obesity, and these
good health habits may follow them later in life. On Brooklyn Day,
held this year on June 6, Borough President Adams hosted a free
recreation celebration for youth at Pier 2 at Brooklyn Bridge Park
which included free sports clinics and fi tness drills.
“On this beautiful, sunny day in June, we celebrate Brooklyn Day
not only in appreciation of the recent opening of Pier 2 in Brooklyn
Bridge Park but also to promote physical exercise and healthy living
for our young people,” said Borough President Adams. “I look forward
to hosting events such as this, which highlight the importance of
physical activity and regular exercise to combating childhood obesity,
across our borough.”
In May, Borough President Adams launched Safe Sleep Brooklyn,
a partnership with Delta Children to distribute 400 free cribs and
play yards to families in need, including young single mothers,
victims of domestic violence, undocumented immigrants, women in
transitional housing, families in homeless shelters, and parents who
were unemployed. This initiative was done in conjunction with an
educational video and materials produced to educate all parents on
safe sleeping tips, including not sharing a bed with an infant, keeping
blankets or toys out of a crib, and placing a baby on its back. These
tips are important in providing a safe space for an infant to sleep and
in preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Going forward, Borough President Adams will advance many of
these efforts in addition to launching new initiatives, such as his push
to encourage Brooklynites to adopt healthier eating habits, pursue
preventative medicine and curb overuse of crowded emergency rooms.
BROOKLYN NEWS
Borough President
Adams is joined by
Department of Health
and Mental Hygiene
Assistant Commissioner
Dr. Aletha Maybank, Joe
Shamie, president of
Delta Children, as well as
a young Brooklyn mother
and her baby, who
enjoyed their new free
crib, all part of the “Safe
Sleep Month” initiative.
/WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG