Children’s Hospital and Kohl’s Partner on Helmet Program to Make Kids in High-Risk Areas Safer

For the 13th year, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and Kohl’s are partnering to present "Hard Heads," a community-based program educating children of all ages on the importance of wearing a helmet correctly, and at all times, while riding anything with wheels.

This year, the program will focus on local communities with the highest numbers of wheel-related injuries, bringing education to schools and afterschool programs and collaborating with the Healthy Schools initiative and Children’s Community Health. Communities with frequent wheel-related injuries include the North Side, West End, East Pittsburgh and Hilltop.

Community partners assist by hosting helmet distribution and fitting events throughout the summer and monitoring helmet use of children within their communities. Children who are spotted wearing their helmets when on wheels will be rewarded for staying safe with gift cards. More than 4,000 helmets are expected to be distributed this summer.

“We’re focusing on neighborhoods with the highest level of injuries with repeated safety messaging and visibility to prevent injuries,” said Barbara Gaines, M.D., director of trauma and injury prevention at Children’s Hospital. “We think that a multifaceted approach will increase our ability to make change happen and improve outcomes.”

In 2017, 118 children were admitted to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC for wheel-related injuries (bikes, scooters, skateboards).

The Kohl’s Hard Heads program is made possible through Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program, with profits benefitting children’s health programs nationwide. Since 2001, Kohl’s has donated more than $3.6 million to Children’s Hospital.

For more information on Kohl’s Hard Heads program, visit www.chp.edu/helmetsafety or call 412-692-8229.