New Drowning Prevention Partnership between HIPRC & Seattle Children’s Hospital

New Drowning Prevention Partnership between HIPRC & Seattle Children’s Hospital

By: Alexandra de Leon Date: July 21st, 2022

Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center (HIPRC) and Seattle Children’s Hospital (SCH) have a long and productive history of impactful partnerships to prevent injury and violence, most of which have included impact on regional or national policy.  These partnerships have grown out of complementary strengths around outreach, messaging, communication, partnerships, and a focus on child wellbeing (SCH), together with the expertise in translation of evidence-based approaches, real-world evaluation, policy impact, external funding and health equity (HIPRC).

In a new partnership, HIPRC and SCH will join forces to:

  • Synergize existing partners towards youth drowning prevention
  • Co-develop a culturally resonant and parent-friendly drowning prevention toolkit and resource guide
  • Disseminate and evaluate drowning prevention toolkit

Open water drownings remain a leading cause of fatal injury in Washington State, and Black and Native American/ Alaska Native persons have the highest drowning rates compared to other racial and ethnic groups. Joint studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of life jackets in the prevention of drowning deaths, outlined important epidemiologic research on risk and protective factors for the safe enjoyment of open water recreation, and have successfully advocated for the adoption of stronger life jacket requirements for kids, boating identification cards for water safety, and stronger laws governing alcohol or drug-impaired boating which puts others at risk.