As leaders in pediatric trauma care, we want to prevent injuries from happening in the first place. Our Injury Prevention Program provides community education, equipment and resources to help reduce the number and severity of injuries that may occur.
Our goal is to educate the public about risks for injury, and to provide equipment and resources for under-served families in the region. We teach children and families how to be safe at home, at play and on the go.
Resources
Safe Kids Dauphin County Coalition
Penn State Health Children’s Hospital and Safe Kids Dauphin County Coalition is comprised of organizations in and around Dauphin County that are committed to improving the welfare and safety of children in our community. The members and partners of the Safe Kids Dauphin County Coalition include:
- American Trauma Society
- Baby Love, Hamilton Health Center
- Capital Area Head Start
- Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
- Hamilton Health Center
- Lower Paxton Police Department
- Maternal Assistance Program, Holy Spirit Hospital
- Milton Hershey School
- Morning Star Pregnancy Services
- Penn State Health Life Lion EMS
- Pennsylvania Department of Health
- PinnacleHealth
- Safe Kids Pennsylvania Coalition
- South Central Pennsylvania Highway Safety
- Sutliff Autogroup
- Women, Infants, and Children
- YWCA of Greater Harrisburg
Coalition mission and goals
The mission of Penn State Injury Prevention Program and the Safe Kids Dauphin County Coalition is to promote the prevention of childhood injuries through education, networking and advocacy.
Our goals are to:
- Work with community partners to reduce the risk of injury to children in central Pennsylvania
- Educate parents and caregivers to provide a safe environment for children
- Increase community awareness that injuries can be prevented
- Work for changes in laws, policies and products to decrease causes of injuries
Get Involved
Donate
The work of the Penn State Pediatric Injury Prevention Program is funded by two non-profit organizations:
Donations from the Dauphin County community help us provide child restraints to local low-income families who otherwise might not travel safely in a car. Please consider making a donation to help us continue our important work.
Make checks payable to: PSU/Injury Prevention Program
Donations may be sent directly to:
Penn State Pediatric Injury Prevention Program
600 University Drive, H113
P.O. Box 850
Hershey, PA 17033
Schedule an Event
Schedule an educational safety event for your school or community event. We can do presentations on a variety of safety and injury prevention topics.
For more information, call the Penn State Health Children’s Hospital Pediatric Injury Prevention Program at 717-531-SAFE (7233).
Resources
Bicycle and wheeled sports
Bike and Sports Safety
A bike helmet is an essential part of bike riding and should be worn every time you ride your bike.
Other bike and sports safety tips
Consumer safety and product recalls
Cribs for Kids Program
Penn State Health Children's Hospital Pediatric Injury Prevention Program is a Cribs for Kids site. This program educates parents and caregivers about safe sleep practices and ensures that babies have a safe place to sleep.
For more education and information about safe sleep, please visit the National Institutes of Health Safe to Sleep website.
Fire and burn prevention
General injury prevention
- Safe Kids Worldwide
- PaNOYS (Pennsylvania National Organizations for Youth Safety)
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- ThinkFirst Foundation
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- National Safety Council
Home safety
Impact Teen Drivers
The Impact program is geared toward teen drivers and uses a unique emotional approach (versus the scare and gore approach) that will empower teens to make meaningful changes in their own driving habits, as well as promote safe driving in their communities. The goal is to ultimately change the culture of driving to one that is distraction-free.
Call 717-531-4566 for more information.
Motor vehicle and child passenger safety
Pedestrian safety
Poison
Safe Sitter Program
The Safe Sitter Program teaches 12-15 year-olds the essential skills for safe and successful babysitting. Each student will learn:
- What to do if a child chokes
- How to call for emergency help
- Babysitting business skills
- Basic childcare skills
- Safety for the sitter
- How to entertain children and keep them safe
The one-day Safe Sitter course is offered periodically according to interest. For registration fee pricing, please contact us.
We typically hold 2-3 classes per year. For more information, or to sign up for the next class, contact the Injury Prevention Program at 717-531-SAFE (7233).
Sports
Teen Driver Education
Inexperienced drivers are more likely to be involved in an automobile accident. Statistics show that 42 percent of our patients between the ages of 18 and 20 who have been hurt in a crash are unrestrained, and 48 percent of these crashes involve speeding. A cascade of bad driving decisions (speeding, distractions and choosing not to wear a seat belt, for example) can lead to a collision with severe injuries. In this class, instructors show teens and parents what may happen after a car accident and how to “drive to stay alive.”
The objective of the four-hour program is to present 16- to 19-year-old drivers with information about the possibility of injury following a motor vehicle collision. By experiencing reality-based education inside the Trauma Center at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, teens are more likely to make safer driving choices.
Either a parent/guardian or any Dauphin, Cumberland, Lebanon and Perry county Magisterial District judge can make program referrals.
Cost: $20
Call 717-531-3885 to register for this class.
Other presentation or program topics include:
- Bike Safety
- Distracted Driving
- Motorcycle Safety
- Home Safety
- Farm Safety and Emergency Response
- Grandparent Safety
- Pedestrian Safety
- Emergency Preparedness
- Is it Time? (talking to a loved one about driving safety)
ThinkFirst
The ThinkFirst presentation is offered in partnership with Penn State Health Children’s Hospital. The curriculum focuses on brain and spinal cord injury prevention through the implementation of age-appropriate lesson plans targeting injury-risk areas.
Call 717-531-4566 for more information.