OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Metro leaders are launching an initiative to address accidental injuries, the leading cause of death for children in America.
Creighton University’s Child Safety Center is working to prevent these deaths through education and community outreach. The center is a branch of the Institute for Population Health that began in 2023.
“Child preventable injuries are one of the leading causes of death for kids. That’s important for us to get a head of that,” said Chanda Chacon, president and CEO of Children’s Nebraska.
Understanding and preventing risks
Scott Shipman, executive director of Creighton University Institute for Population Health, said the approach focuses on identifying risks before tragedies occur.
“It starts with understanding what the risks are. We too often don’t think about injury risks until the tragedy happens in the community. So, we want to try to move upstream and have people be aware of the risks and also what they can do to reduce or mitigate those risks,” Shipman said.
Shipman launched a similar center in Oregon and is spearheading the project alongside Children’s Nebraska. The center is housed inside the Highlander Accelerator, serving as the epicenter for Creighton to connect with North Omaha.
“For me, this is a much higher use of this area than the violence we saw and the poverty we saw with people who lived in this particular development,” said Omaha Mayor John Ewing.
Safety supplies and community outreach
The center will provide safety supplies to people who need them. Booster seats, bike helmets and gun lock boxes are available for a small cost. Shipman said outreach to community members, especially in North Omaha, will be a key focus.
“If we just sit in this hub, we’re not going to do our job. It’s really important that we get into the schools, the churches, working with community based organizations here in North Omaha who are interested in health of youth and reducing injuries,” he said.
Services of education and awareness will be completely free. Shipman said there will also be workers available to link people in the community with healthcare options.
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