2026 CHNA Implementation Strategy

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT SAFETY

• Child and adolescent safety have remained a priority for Children’s since the first CHNA in 2013. Patient health and safety programming is within the purview of the Children’s Health Education and Safety Center (“HESC”). The HESC includes Safe Kids, Alabama LifeStart, and ThinkFirst. These programs focus on general safety, brain and head trauma and sudden cardiac arrest. From 2023 – 2025, the Center reached more than 47,300 children and adults across all 67 counties. During the evaluation period, HESC statistics included:

– More than 1,800 car seats and booster seats were provided to those in need throughout the state of Alabama. – Approximately 6,500 teens across Alabama received education on safe teen driving and Alabama’s Graduated Driver License Law. – More than 22,200 students, representing 10 di‡erent counties, participated in the ThinkFirst program, promoting brain and spinal cord injury prevention. Through this program, more than 1,900 bike helmets were distributed. – Through the School Nurse Outreach Program, 24 virtual education sessions were provided to school nurses, with more than 6,700 nurses in attendance. – The Alabama LifeStart program focused on raising awareness of sudden cardiac arrest and was a community advocate for CPR/AED readiness. Approximately 80 public and private schools, daycares, More than 1,900 bike helmets distributed

and athletic programs were designated as ‘Heart Safe’ through this program. – In 2025, the Center began safe firearms storage education, reaching more than 600 individuals and distributing more than 335 cable gun locks. – In 2024 and 2025, the Center was awarded a grant from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community A‡airs (“ADECA”) to raise awareness across the state of pediatric vehicular heatstroke.

• The Alabama Poison Information Center (“APIC”) at Children’s of Alabama handled an average 118,000 calls annually from all 67 counties in 2023-25. The APIC has served the state since 1958, o‡ering free, confidential poison and snakebite envenomation information and treatment recommendations to the public and health care providers. The sta‡ includes nurses and pharmacists certified by the American Association of Poison Control Centers. The management team includes a doctoral credentialed clinical toxicologist and medical directors credentialed in emergency medicine, pediatrics, and toxicology.

• The APIC participated in a yearly average of 170 hours of community health events, distributing poison prevention information to over 10,000 Alabamians. Along with Healthy Child Care Alabama (HCCA), the APIC provided 1,900 poison prevention programs, reaching approximately 11,000 parents across all counties.

CHILDREN’S OF ALABAMA

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IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY