Safe Kids USA
Encyclopedia
Safe Kids USA is the United States' arm of the global network of Safe Kids Worldwide organizations, based in Washington DC. Safe Kids USA has over 300 chapters and coalitions in all 50 states, Washington, D.C.
and Puerto Rico
,
and has positioned itself as an authority on unintentional childhood injury statistics and prevention.
The mission of Safe Kids USA, the same as that of Safe Kids Worldwide, is "to prevent accidental childhood injury."
The coalition was originally established as Safe Kids of Georgia in Clarke County
, but later changed to Safe Kids Athens Area. The coalition primarily serves Athens and the immediately surrounding counties, but also included all 17 counties correlating with the service area of Athens Regional Medical Center
, the lead agency of the coalition.
Safe Kids Athens is led by a group of volunteers called the Safe Team, under the guidance of Evelyn Hanes, Coalition Coordinator. The Safe Team does the largest amount of work for the Safe Kids Athens Area coalition, including planning, goal-setting and decision-making, and their efforts are supported by a number of volunteers from the community. The Safe Team is composed of leaders of the community, including representatives from the sheriff's department, Clarke County public school system, University of Georgia
, Northeast Health District, Athens Regional Medical Center, and AIDs Athens. The Safe Team meets monthly and meets with the entire coalition of volunteers quarterly.
In keeping with the Safe Kids Worldwide mission, the Safe Kids Athens coalition's mission is to, "promote changes in attitudes, behaviors, laws and the environment to prevent accidental injury to children." Safe Kids USA focuses on many different types of injury prevention, promoting community-based groups to target specific areas, including child passenger safety, bike safety, pedestrian safety, water safety, fire and burn safety, and poison safety.
.
In Australia Kidsafe is the peak non-government, not-for-profit charitable organisation, dedicated to preventing unintentional childhood injuries and reducing the resulting deaths and disabilities associated with childhood accidents in children under the age of 15 years. Kidsafe was first established in 1979 as the Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia. State divisions were established soon after. The name Kidsafe was adopted nationally in 1993. In July 2003, the foundation adopted a federated structure, with each of the state branches becoming independently incorporated associations with offices in all Australian Capital cities.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
,
and has positioned itself as an authority on unintentional childhood injury statistics and prevention.
The mission of Safe Kids USA, the same as that of Safe Kids Worldwide, is "to prevent accidental childhood injury."
Programs
Safe Kids USA achieves this goal through a number of accident-specific prevention and awareness-promoting programs. Some of these programs include:- Safe Kids At Home: Partners with the Center for Disease Control to prevent child injury at home, especially in low-income and immigrant groups.
- Safe Kids Buckle Up: Partners with corporate sponsor General MotorsGeneral MotorsGeneral Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
and ChevroletChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
to promote vehicle safety for children. This program is the largest of Safe Kids USA's safety programs. In 2007 the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) announced that Safe Kids Buckle Up would be the national client for the 2008 Bateman case study competition. Student teams from PRSSA chapters across the U.S. will research, plan and implement campaigns in their local areas to reiterate safety in and around cars to the 11-14 age group and their families. - Safe Kids Fire: Partners with First AlertFirst AlertFirst Alert is an American safety brand company, based in Aurora, Illinois. They make carbon monoxide detectors, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, and other safety products like flashlights and fire escape ladders...
and the United States Fire AdministrationUnited States Fire AdministrationThe United States Fire Administration is a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency which in turn is managed by the Department of Homeland Security located in unincorporated Frederick County, Maryland, near Emmitsburg.-History:...
to help prevent fires and accidents having to do with fires, especially around the home. - Safe Kids Ready to Roll: Partners with Bell Sports to keep children safe around bicycles, skates, and other wheel-related injuries.
- Safe Kids Walk This Way: Partners with FedExFedExFedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
to promote pedestrian safety.
Local coalitions
Safe Kids programs rely on a grassroots effort by local chapters and coalitions to create action plans that will reach the needs of the community most effectively. Coalitions are formally supported by the Safe Kids USA campaign and are composed of leaders in the community which can include, among other areas, members of the public health, education, media and public safety sectors.Safe Kids Athens Area
Safe Kids Athens Area is a coalition of Safe Kids Georgia, founded in 1993. Safe Kids Athens Area recently obtained coalition status, putting it formally under the worldwide organization of Safe Kids Worldwide and giving it the ability to utilize the resources of the worldwide and national organization, Safe Kids USA.The coalition was originally established as Safe Kids of Georgia in Clarke County
Clarke County, Georgia
Clarke County is a county in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 101,489. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 114,063...
, but later changed to Safe Kids Athens Area. The coalition primarily serves Athens and the immediately surrounding counties, but also included all 17 counties correlating with the service area of Athens Regional Medical Center
Athens Regional Medical Center
Athens Regional Medical Center is a 364-bed regional referral trauma II hospital in Athens, Georgia, United States, one of only eight Level II centers in the state. Serving a 17-county region in Northeast Georgia, Athens Regional Health Services is one of Northeast Georgia's largest health care...
, the lead agency of the coalition.
Safe Kids Athens is led by a group of volunteers called the Safe Team, under the guidance of Evelyn Hanes, Coalition Coordinator. The Safe Team does the largest amount of work for the Safe Kids Athens Area coalition, including planning, goal-setting and decision-making, and their efforts are supported by a number of volunteers from the community. The Safe Team is composed of leaders of the community, including representatives from the sheriff's department, Clarke County public school system, University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
, Northeast Health District, Athens Regional Medical Center, and AIDs Athens. The Safe Team meets monthly and meets with the entire coalition of volunteers quarterly.
In keeping with the Safe Kids Worldwide mission, the Safe Kids Athens coalition's mission is to, "promote changes in attitudes, behaviors, laws and the environment to prevent accidental injury to children." Safe Kids USA focuses on many different types of injury prevention, promoting community-based groups to target specific areas, including child passenger safety, bike safety, pedestrian safety, water safety, fire and burn safety, and poison safety.
Kidsafe related organizations
Kidsafe is the alternative name for arms of the global network of the Safe Kids Worldwide organizations. Australia, the UK and other countries go by the name "Kidsafe" whereas the US, Canada and some other countries go by the name Safe Kids. The organization was founded in Washington, DC in 1987 by Children's National Medical Center with support from Johnson & JohnsonJohnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company is listed among the Fortune 500....
.
In Australia Kidsafe is the peak non-government, not-for-profit charitable organisation, dedicated to preventing unintentional childhood injuries and reducing the resulting deaths and disabilities associated with childhood accidents in children under the age of 15 years. Kidsafe was first established in 1979 as the Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia. State divisions were established soon after. The name Kidsafe was adopted nationally in 1993. In July 2003, the foundation adopted a federated structure, with each of the state branches becoming independently incorporated associations with offices in all Australian Capital cities.
See also
- Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety ActAdam Walsh Child Protection and Safety ActThe Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act is a federal statute that was signed into law by U.S. President George W. Bush on July 27, 2006. The Walsh Act organizes sex offenders into three tiers and mandates that Tier 3 offenders update their whereabouts every three months with lifetime...
- Child safety lockChild safety lockA child safety lock is a special-purpose lock for cabinets, drawers, bottles, etc. that is designed to help prevent children from getting at any dangerous contents. Young children are naturally curious about their surroundings and will always explore, but as they may be unaware of dangerous...
- The Alliance for Safe ChildrenThe Alliance for Safe ChildrenThe Alliance for Safe Children is a non-profit organization formed in 2002 to address the issue of child injury in the developing world. The founder is Pete Peterson, former United States Ambassador to Vietnam. Michael Linnon is the technical director.TASC works in cooperation with other...