Teaching injury prevention as a way of life!

Our Mission
Doernbecher Children’s Safety Center is dedicated to reducing preventable injuries in children throughout the Pacific Northwest by:

• Engaging healthcare providers, families and community leaders to reduce unintentional pediatric injury
• Providing public and professional education and training
• Increasing access to low-cost safety supplies and resources
• Supporting safety-related advocacy in the Pacific Northwest

In Oregon and the U.S., injuries are the leading cause of death and disability among children. The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control estimates that each year, 1 in 4 children are injured seriously enough to require medical attention. Most of these injuries could have been prevented.

Most unintentional injuries are caused by falls, motor vehicles, fires and burns, drownings, poisonings, choking, suffocation, and guns. Learning how to prevent injuries and using safety products, materials and resources can help keep our children safe.

Our Services
Doernbecher Children's Safety Center opened in the fall of 2005. We are a non-profit safety resource center in Doernbecher Children's Hospital at Oregon Health & Sciences University. We offer services to patients, students, employees, staff and the public. These services make it easier for families to keep their children safe and include the following:

• Safety Education
  We have trained safety advocates working closely with pediatricians at Doernbecher to teach families about childhood safety. Safety advocates are able to answer questions about safety methods and safety products.
  
  
• Safety Instruction
  Safety advocates are able to show families "hands-on" use of safety products. Examples of instruction families will receive include how to use stair gates, how to install window and cabinet locks, baby-proofing a home, how to place smoke alarms, and how to fit bike helmets correctly.
  
  
• Safety Products
  We offer many low cost safety products such as cabinet latches, window locks, stair gates, baby proofing supplies, smoke alarms, electrical outlet plugs, and activity helmets.
  
  
• Educational Materials
  We provide free safety brochures to families to help them understand how they can reduce injury risks. We address areas such as bicycle and pedestrian safety,home and fire safety, and playground safety.
  
  
• Partnership with Community Groups
  We will continue to work with groups in the community in order to spread the injury prevention message and help create safer communities.
  Participating in community events such as car seat clinics and helmet distribution projects, will allow us to communicate the importance of childhood injury prevention among diverse groups of people.