Children's Hospital of Illinois Advocacy Center

Children’s Hospital of Illinois is committed to providing a complete approach to healthcare to all children regardless of race, religion or ability to pay. This is done by offering not only the most effective and advanced medical and surgical procedures and treatments, but also by including the vital element of preventative medicine through many safety and injury prevention initiatives. Children’s Hospital of Illinois brings its mission, “to serve children with the greatest care and love,” to life on a daily basis by providing, without prejudice, innovative community service programs and state of the art healthcare to the children of Illinois.

Through the vast and strong community service programs, Children’s Hospital of Illinois recognizes the personal worth and dignity of every person served.

The Advocacy Center focuses on safety education and injury prevention in a variety of areas, with major focus on Child Passenger Safety (CPS), Special Needs Child Passenger Safety, Bicycle Safety, and Pedestrian Safety, including service to more than 10,000 families every year. The Advocacy Center employs the only three Special Needs Child Passenger Safety Technician Instructors in the State of Illinois recognized by the National Center for Safe Transportation of Children with Special Healthcare Needs, houses four innovative statewide safety education programs; Be A Buckle Buddy!, the Special Needs Child Passenger Safety Resource Center, a statewide safety hotline that anyone in Illinois may call to ask questions about childhood safety topics, and the Parent’s Guide To... brochure series covering more than 30 safety and injury prevention topics.

Special Needs Child Passenger
Safety Resource Center

The Special Needs Child Passenger Safety Resource Center at Children’s Hospital of Illinois’ Advocacy Center began in 2001. This partnership between Children’s Hospital of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Transportation – Division of Traffic Safety includes the following services: a professional resource for organizations in Illinois serving children with special needs on issues related to child passenger safety; education to parents, organizations, nurseries, doctors, child care providers and nationally certified child passenger safety technicians; proper selection, installation and fitting of special needs restraints; a short term loan program to provide specialized seats to parents (when available). For more information about the Special Needs Child Passenger Safety Resource Center, please click here.

Safe Kids Peoria Area

As lead agency for the Peoria Area Safe Kids Coalition, Children’s Hospital of Illinois employs the Safe Kids Coordinator for Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford counties at the Advocacy Center. The Peoria Area Safe Kids Coalition focuses on injury prevention programs including children passenger, pedestrian, and bike safety for children age 0-14. Through the Safe Kids Buckle Up Program, the Advocacy Center donates approximately 300 child restraints to underprivileged families annually. For more information about the Peoria Area Safe Kids Coalition, please click here.

Bicycle Safety Program

Children’s Hospital of Illinois began the “Undercover” program in 2002 to provide local children access to free bicycle helmets and training on safe bicycling practices. Since the inception, more than 14,200 helmets have been distributed through 56 area schools, saving the local community an estimated value of more than $1,700,000 in indirect healthcare costs. For more information on the Bicycle Safety Program at Children’s Hospital of Illinois, please click here.

Parents' Guide To...

Let us be your guide! Children’s Hospital of Illinois’ Advocacy Center safety professionals currently produce informational brochures on more than 30 subjects. Each brochure is written, and reviewed by the appropriate Children’s Hospital of Illinois staff member. Click here to download an order form for your business!