Safe Kids West Michigan receives national recognition
Safe Kids Worldwide announced today that Safe Kids West Michigan (formerly Safe Kids Muskegon) has been formally recognized within its national network as attaining coalition status. Safe Kids Worldwide and its affiliates are a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury, a leading killer of children 14 and under.
More than Safe Kids 450 coalitions in 16 countries bring together health and safety experts, educators, corporations, foundations, governments and volunteers to educate and protect families. Safe Kids West Michigan is led by Mercy General Health Partners and provides services to Muskegon, Oceana, Mason and Lake counties.
The attainment of coalition status is a reflection of Safe Kids West Michigan’s continuing success and forward thinking in providing accidental injury prevention programs to the community, according to Safe Kids Michigan coordinator Jeff Spitzely. "Mercy General Health Partners and Safe Kids West Michigan members, led by Holly Alway, are to be commended for their hard work and significant contributions to the safety of children in the communities they serve."
Since 1999, Safe Kids West Michigan has provided new car seats to more than 4,250 families, distributed 5,200 bike helmets, and provided educational services and other safety devices to 91,000 residents.
“Being recognized as a Safe Kids Worldwide coalition is an honor,” said Holly Alway, program coordinator. “It is truly a reflection of the tremendous support provided by our volunteers and the collaboration of participating community agencies. Without this help, our this achievement would not have been possible.”
Safe Kids coalitions must meet rigorous principles of performance in order to achieve and maintain this status, which include developing and maintaining the resources necessary to implement an effective injury prevention program, completing community needs assessments and ongoing evaluation, and continuing advocacy for injury prevention legislation and regulations, and enforcing existing safety laws.
As a recognized coalition, Safe Kids West Michigan will receive enhanced support from the national offices of Safe Kids Worldwide. “Although injury is a threat to children everywhere, significant progress has been made locally to reduce childhood risk,” says Alway. As a Safe Kids coalition, our progress towards creating safer environments for young children will continue and we will benefit from the years of injury prevention experience of Safe Kids Worldwide.”
Mercy General is the specialty referral hospital along the lakeshore. Mercy General’s services include heart and vascular, emergency services, cancer care, orthopedic and spine surgery, urology, bariatric services, a primary care network, nephrology, ENT, laboratory, palliative care and rehabilitation. Mercy General specializes in a variety of areas through specialized institutes and centers where physicians and staff work collaboratively to provide excellent care to patients. Some of these centers include the Heart and Vascular Institute, the Centers for Women’s Health, the Center for Weight Management, the Imaging Center of Excellence and a state-of-the-art Emergency Center. |
