Phone -- 314.286.0955
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The St. Louis Children's Hospital advocacy program strives to translate the hospital's advocacy mission into actionable plans and initiatives involving many constituents -- employees, medical staff, donors and families in the region.
St. Louis Children's Hospital has developed a number of education and outreach initiatives in order to improve the health and wellness of the children it serves. In order to fulfill its mission to "Do What is Right for Kids", St. Louis Children's Hospital has made a commitment to ongoing advocacy, beyond the hospital setting. Funded by generous donors to the St. Louis Children's Hospital Foundation, advocacy and outreach staff have dedicated themselves to these endeavors because they know that children's health needs reach far beyond the hospital walls.
Current Events
No events currently scheduled.
Injury Prevention Initiatives
- Injury-Free Coalition for Kids-- The day after a young boy came to the emergency unit at St. Louis Children's Hospital with gunshot wounds, emergency doctors and nurses discussed the need to give children safer places to play and to teach children and families how to avoid preventable injuries. Thisincident launched thehospital's comprehensive injury prevention program.
The Injury Free Coalition for Kids of St. Louis is a chapter of a nationwide program that is among the country's fastest growing and most effective injury prevention programs. The Injury free Coalition for Kids is composed of hospital-based, community-oriented programs anchored in research, education and advocacy. The coalition includes 40 sites in 37 cities, each housed in the trauma centers of its participating institution. The sites are independent, physician-led programs driven by the coalition's mission of "preventing injury to children."
Injury Free St. Louis encompasses several injury prevention initiatives, including our Safety Streety program, Click it Crew, and our car seat and bike helmet distribution initiatives.
- Bike Helmets-- Using a specially designed "prescription" pad, pediatricians may refer children tolocations throughout the St. Louis area to get properly-fitted bike helmet. Physicians may also distribute helmets through their practice after office staff attend an hour-long training session.
- Safety Street-- Safety Street is a program that allows kindergartners, first and second graders to experience potential street hazards in a controlled, safe learning environment. It is a life-sized cityscape, complete with homes, cars, a school bus, stray dogs, strangers and more.
Click it Crew - Seat Belt Safety--Led by a partnership of St. Louis Children's Hospital and community leaders, the Click it Crew program brings seat belt safety education to the classroom to teach ninth-through 12th graders the importance of buckling up. Utilizing real-life crash sounds, video and visual effects, this interactive presentation allows students to experience a firsthand simulation of how it feels to be in a car accident and the tragic repercussions that can occur if a seat belt is not worn. The studnets are shown video testimonials of families of teenagers who have been injured or killed in car accidents as a result of not wearing seat belts. At the end of this free, one-hour workshop, participants sign a pledge to always wear their seat belts, and they receive Click it Crew membership packets, including a membership card, bracelet, keychain and CD car visor, to reinforce the Click it Crew mission of "saving lives one click at a time."
- Car Seat Fittings-- St. Louis Children's Hospital has Safety Stop, a car seat fitting station, on the second floor of the Children's Hospital garage. The station is staffed with certified car seat fitting technicians, and low-cost booster seats and car seats will be available for purchase.
Wellness
Head to Toe Program --This is a unique approach to weight management that teaches youth (ages 8-17) how to live healthier lives by eating right and exercising regularly. While building self-esteem, kids engage in fun physical activities and learn about proper nutrition.
- The FAN Club--The FAN Club at St. Louis Children’s Hospital is a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to an epidemic medical problem facing our community. The FAN Club is a pediatric weight management program for kids age 8-12 which focuses on family, activity and nutrition. Our family-based program is centered on medical management and incorporates behavioral therapy, dietary intervention and exercise.
- Healthy Kids Express
For a comprehensive list of social service agencies in St. Louis visit http://www.cap4kids.org/st_louis