The Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Philadelphia received a five-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to continue and expand our injury prevention efforts for children in West Philadelphia. Over the last three years, Injury Free Philadelphia laid the groundwork needed to build a strong and sustainable coalition focused on the needs of children within the community of West Philadelphia. Injury Free Philadelphia partnered with over 50 local, regional, and national organizations who now form our local coalition, to work together to prevent injuries to the children of our community. This expanded Mentoring Grant will provide Injury Free Philadelphia the opportunity to partner with both the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Mercy Hospital of Philadelphia on injury prevention initiatives, research, and activities to meet the needs of the children and families in our community.
The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) is a world-leading institution in three equally valued and inter-related missions of patient care, education, and research. The success of these missions integrates the assets of the School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania Health System in a shared commitment with the University of Pennsylvania. Physicians at HUP frequently see the older and more violently injured youth in our area. As a result, HUP physicians and researchers have initiated efforts to address this deadly challenge. Violence reduction is a priority for Injury Free Philadelphia and through this valuable partnership, anti-violence messages and alternatives can more greatly reach and impact our community. Furthermore, HUP serves the medical needs of a majority of our community's parents and caregivers. Injury Free Philadelphia has become a leader in parenting education and will utilize this collaboration to expand current and future parenting courses that will, in turn, expand the number of homes that are safer for children and care practices that support childhood injury reduction. To date, HUP has sought to develop a greater presence in the community around the needs of injury prevention, community growth, and family empowerment. Through this collaboration with Injury Free Philadelphia, HUP will be able develop their community building methods as well as expand their programs through the recognition and respect for Injury Free in the community.
Mercy Hospital of Philadelphia, the second Partnering Hospital of Phase One, has cared for the children of West and Southwest Philadelphia since 1918. This respected hospital is part of the Mercy Health System, which is the largest Catholic healthcare system serving the Delaware Valley and is a member of Catholic Health East, a multi-institutional, Catholic health system co-sponsored by 13 religious congregations. Mercy Hospital serves as the community hospital for much of the outer West and Southwest Philadelphia families. While CHOP sees the more severely injured children, Mercy Hospital provides care to the next lower tier of injured children, many of whose injuries are preventable. Currently, Mercy Hospital does not have an active injury prevention program or resources within the institution to make one possible. Through this collaboration, Mercy will have access to both resources and expertise with which to develop new and innovative prevention projects. This Partnering Hospital will fill the role of expanding Injury Free Philadelphia's prevention efforts into broader neighborhoods as well as expanding into a highly influential strength in the City of Philadelphia, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
