University of Iowa Children's Hospital is one of six children's hospitals in the United States selected to receive a $100,000 grant from the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI) to develop a Safety Store and Safe Escape Program.
The grant allows UI Children's Hospital to offer families of children with disabilities and special health care needs education, information and equipment to prepare for safe escape during emergencies. It is not exclusive to children with disabilities - any child but they will offer products that are for disabled children - these items are more difficult to find.
The new program debuted at the Johnson County Fair and will make two appearances at the Iowa State Fair in August as part of the University of Iowa exhibit.
Pam Hoogerwerf, community services coordinator for Patient and Family Centered Services at UI Children's Hospital , located in UI Hospitals and Clinics, said UI Children's Hospital submitted an extremely competitive grant. "Our proposal was unique because we were not going to just open a freestanding store within the hospital. It was important for us to get the message out about this program across the entire state on behalf of UI Children's Hospital."
The program is designed with the idea that safety for all children should be convenient, accessible, and affordable. The program has two parts:
- The Safe Escape Program was funded by the Department of Homeland Security. There hasn't been much recognizable, conventional evacuation education and emergency preparedness for the children with special health care needs. The Safe Escape Program taps directly into the patient population with mobility issues, sensory issues and makes adaptable products and educational information available.
- The Safety Store is part of the educational component to help prevent unintentional injuries to children. The store will carry low cost goods that help prevent unintentional injury.
"There is no cost to participate in the program. The product inventory at the Safety Store will be passed along to the consumer at a reduced rate. It's not about the retail part. What's important is the educational component promoting a safe evacuation or a decrease in unintentional injury," says Hoogerwerf.
University of Iowa Children's Hospital serves children and their families at its main campus in Iowa City and satellite clinics in communities throughout the region. A 190-bed "hospital within a hospital," UI Children's Hospital benefits from the sophisticated services and comprehensive resources of University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Child magazine ranks UI Children's Hospital among the top 20 children's hospitals in the nation.
For more information, contact Pam Hoogerwerf, community service coordinator pamela-hoogerwerf@uiowa.edu . Or call the Safety Store at: 319-356-3543.
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