Children’s Mercy Family Health Partners’ grant to assist Charlie’s Safe
Posted on Wednesday, June 18th, 2008
NEWS RELEASE
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For Immediate Release:
June 18, 2008
For More Information:
Children’s Mercy Family Health Partners Charlie’s Safe Haven
Cindy Mense 816-559-9472 Julie Fenwick, 913 375 7123
Bob Finuf 816-559-9401 Katie Schatte, 913 477 8312
Jenny Horn, 816-885-5815
Demonstration house is closer to opening in Kansas City
Children’s Mercy Family Health Partners’ grant to assist Charlie’s Safe Haven
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over 150 children died in Kansas and Missouri in 2005 from unintentional injuries, and thousands more were disabled and seriously injured.
How can parents and/or caretakers learn about child safety in the home and make sure the kids for whom they are responsible aren’t seriously injured in home accidents? The best way to learn may be to visit a safety demonstration house. Charlie’s Safe Haven is just such a house and hopes to open soon in Kansas City.
Charlie’s Safe Haven is named for Charlie Horn, a 2-year old tragically killed in 2007, when he was attempting to climb up a 30” dresser in his home which tipped forward, trapping him underneath.
“With the help of Charlie’s parents and safety advocates, the mission of Charlie’s Safe Haven is to teach caregivers how they can make their homes the safest place to be, one child at a time,” explained Julie Fenwick, Executive Director for Charlie’s Safe Haven.
In order to help make Charlie’s Safe Haven a reality, Children’s Mercy Family Health Partners recently presented a grant to further the development of Kansas City’s first child safety house. The house will include room-by-room displays highlighting the latest in home safety equipment and how it can be properly used. The house will also feature information on health and wellness.
“We believe Charlie’s Safe Haven will help parents, grandparents and caretakers protect children from everyday home hazards,” explained Bob Finuf, CEO of Children’s Mercy Family Health Partners. “They can learn about safety in and around the home and access a resource to purchase home safety products. We believe that if parents and caretakers are properly educated, accidents can be minimized or avoided. We’re hopeful other organizations and individuals will join with us to support this very worthwhile cause.”
“We are pleased to have Children’s Mercy Family Health Partners team up with us in our efforts,” said Fenwick. “With their help we are one step closer to making Charlie’s Safe Haven a reality.”
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About Children’s Mercy Family Health Partners
Owned by Children’s Mercy Hospital and Clinics, Children’s Mercy Family Health Partners (CMFHP) is the only provider-owned, non-profit safety-net health plan in Kansas or Missouri. CMFHP provides low-cost or no-cost health care coverage through contracts with the Kansas HealthWave and MO HealthNet programs. CMFHP has more than a decade of experience and is the largest provider of managed care services to participants in Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (or “SCHIP”) in the State of Kansas and in the Kansas City, Missouri area. For more information log onto www.fhp.org.
About The Safety Spot / Charlie’s Safe Haven
The Safety Spot, Inc. is a nonprofit organization formed in November 2007 to help decrease the accidental deaths and injuries of children around the home in Kansas and Missouri. The non-profit organization is currently raising funds to build Charlie’s Safe Haven – a house that will provide adults with real-life demonstrations, examples and resources on children’s safety in and around the home. For more information, log onto www.charliessafehaven.org.
