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Background

Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for children in Arkansas. Especially at risk are vulnerable populations who don't have access to education on child passenger safety and affordable child safety seats - especially lowe income and minority families. Arkansas has a primary child passenger protection law for children under age 15, including child restraint and booster seat requirements for children up to age 6 years or 60 pounds.

The Child Passenger Safety Education (CPSE)Program of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) provides education to people whose roles in their local communities allow access to families whose children are at increased risk of injury because they are not being transported correctly. The program also operates an interactive fitting station that emphasizes best practice recommendations for children of all ages. Activities of the UAMS CPSE Program are sponsored by the Highway Safety Office of the Arkansas State Police.

Satellite Network of CPS Technicians

The UAMS CPS Education Program will distribute child safety seats (CSS) and educational literature to organizations throughout Arkansas that have CPS technicians. These individuals, as a group, will make up the Satellite Network (Satellite Network) and an individual location will be called a satellite site.

The purpose of the Satellite Network is to provide seed resources to organizations that have or are establishing CPS activities or have unique opportunities to access children from vulnerable populations.

Priority recipients will include law enforcement agencies that do not qualify for STEP funds,organized community-based CPS activities, organizations who provide services to the priority populations, and hospitals. Satellite sites should serve minorities, Spanish-speaking families, low-income and/or rural children and families.

A satellite site is a fitting station, not an installation service. Parents and caregivers make an appointment to have the seat being used, if any, assessed to see if it is appropriate for the child, configured correctly, and installed correctly in the vehicle. The parents and caregivers are educated on the use and installation of CSS, and replicate installation.

How to Apply for the Program

For more information regarding this program, or to apply, please contact the Program Manager, Ananda Martin, at 479-243-0279 or amartin@healthy-connections.org