American Trauma Society, PA Division

Safe Kids PA Strategy Plan

Father laying back on a couch, lifting his daughter up above his head

Safe Kids PA (SKPA) is proud to present our 2023-2026 Strategy Plan, directing the efforts of the State Office and the SKPA affiliates and setting a strong foundation for the future.

The SKPA Strategy Plan is divided into two main sections that are then split again into two parts. The first section is Network and Capacity Building, split into focus areas at the State Level and then at the Local Level. The second section is Infrastructure Building, again split at the State Level and the Local Level. By “Network and Capacity Building,” we mean strategies that increase the ability of a group to do the work it needs to do. By “Infrastructure Building,” we mean strategies that increase the efficiency and scale of the work a group needs to do. In short, the first section deals with what it takes to do the work of SKPA and do it well, the second section deals with what we can do to make the work bigger and better.

For this plan, year one is the 2023-2024 fiscal year (starting July 1, 2023), year two is the 2024-2025 fiscal year, and year three is the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Read the full Strategy Plan here, or see the Year Two breakdown below. This page will be updated for each year of the Plan.

All Year One goals were accomplished, and SKPA is moving forward with Year Two.

Strategy Plans

2023-2026 Strategy Plan

YEAR TWO (July 2024 - June 2025)

GOAL 1: NETWORK AND CAPACITY BUILDING -State Level:

Safe Kids PA will strengthen the reach and capacity of the State Office by strategically partnering with outside organizations, groups, and stakeholders to further the goals of child injury prevention.​

  • ACTION STEP 3: Each year of the grant, form at least one new partnership to strengthen child injury prevention, public health, and health equity in PA. The foundation of a new relationship could be shown in a variety of ways, including a written agreement of collaboration, invitations to group meetings (virtual or in-person) on either side, distribution of educational or safety materials, or other deliverables. Ideally, these partnerships would function to benefit two or more of the local SKPA groups, potentially through resource-sharing, volunteer engagement, outside technical assistance opportunities, and more. [TO BE COMPLETED BY OCTOBER 2024]
  • ACTION STEP 4: With these geographic areas [of need] identified, identify a minimum of five organizations and agencies that are doing injury prevention work that aligns with SKPA and SKW within those geographic areas. Based on alignment, reach out to organizations that may be a good fit for Safe Kids work, with the goal of increasing counties covered by SKPA by a minimum of one. [TO BE COMPLETED BY DECEMBER 2024]
  • ACTION STEP 1: Monitor state and/or federal legislation relevant to the mission of SKPA and SKW. If possible, the State Office will support and advocate for one piece of nonpartisan legislation each year, depending on relevancy and ability of the bill to increase child safety and injury prevention. [ONGOING]
  • ACTION STEP 2: Collect, synthesize, and distribute data on childhood injury and death to the SKPA network as it becomes available. This data should be recent, from reputable sources, and should focus on the identified priority areas of SKPA and/or SKW. Ideally, local data from hospitals or CDR teams should be utilized to inform prevention efforts, and regional or statewide injury data (from the state CDR or other state organizations) should be used to inform statewide strategies and initiatives. [ONGOING]
  • ACTION STEP 3: Annually, the State Office will collect qualitative and quantitative data from the SKPA network via one-on-one meetings with coordinators and data tracking spreadsheets (provided to SKPA coordinators by the State Office). The data will be synthesized into a summary document and be available to SKPA groups and the public. Qualitative data will include discussions of challenges, successes, and plans moving forward. Quantitative data includes number of events, number of people reached, numbers of items distributed, numbers of events with specific safety focus areas, and more. See goal 2, objective 1, action step 2. [TO BE COMPLETED BY DECEMBER 2024]
  • ACTION STEP 4: Conduct community outreach by continuing ongoing website moderation, social media usage of at least five posts a month, and press releases at least three times a year on relevant child injury prevention topics. [ONGOING]

GOAL 2: NETWORK AND CAPACITY BUILDING -Local Level:

Safe Kids PA will support and facilitate capacity and networking building opportunities for the SKPA affiliate network, within the SKPA network itself and within their various communities.

  • ACTION STEP 1: Each month, the State Office will send out emails with resources on child injury prevention strategies, health equity resources and learning opportunities, funding opportunities as available, messaging from SKW, and any other relevant resources or materials. [ONGOING]
  • ACTION STEP 2: On an annual basis, the State Office will formally meet with coalition and partner coordinators to discuss the previous fiscal year, any current challenges, any successes, and any needs moving forward. The State Office will document these meetings and will use the information provided as qualitative data collection to inform the ongoing strategy of SKPA. Additional informal meetings can occur when necessary. [TO BE COMPLETED BY DECEMBER 2024]
  • ACTION STEP 2: A minimum of twice a year , SKPA will plan and host child injury prevention summits for the SKPA affiliate network and CDR teams. One will reach a larger number of groups to provide education on a specific topic, support the work already being done, and encourage engagement on that specific topic. Another will be more focused within a geographic area or region in order to support expansion, capacity building, and building partnerships within that area. [TO BE COMPLETED BY JULY 2025]
  • ACTION STEP 3: The State Office will coordinate quarterly networking meetings for the SKPA network to maintain local engagement. [ONGOING]
  • ACTION STEP 3: Provide professionally translated resources identified above to SKPA groups that request them, in either print or electronic format. [ONGOING]
  • ACTION STEP 4: Research and document the feasibility of contracting with an organization to provide real-time quality interpretation to coalitions and partners when needed, possibly in an on-call capacity or with video capability. Document what the SKPA network would need to be able to best utilize these services, including materials and tools to enable video calls. Research would include what is already available to the SKPA network, a detailed review of companies that provide such services, an analysis of costs associated with each organization, a survey of SKPA groups for interest and need, and answering other logistical questions. [TO BE COMPLETED BY APRIL 2025]
  • ACTION STEP 5: Research and document the feasibility of contracting with an organization to create quality educational safety videos in non-English languages, or with non-English subtitles, for use by the coalitions and partners as educational tools in their communities. Research would include a detailed review of companies that provide such services, an analysis of costs associated with each organization, a survey of coalitions and partners for interest and need, and answering other logistical questions. [TO BE COMPLETED BY APRIL 2025]

GOAL 3: INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING -State Level:

Safe Kids PA will strategically re-evaluate and improve its strategies and activities to ensure that the mission is optimized for all children in PA.

  • ACTION STEP 2: Each year, based on SKPA priorities, relevant data, and emerging trends, the State Office will choose one topic to prioritize with a statewide initiative, where resources and educational safety materials will be provided to the SKPA affiliate network relating to that topic. [TO BE COMPLETED BY JULY 2025]
  • ACTION STEP 3: Each year, the State Office will revisit and update progress on the Strategy Plan, both informally, on the SKPA website, and formally, with the Project Officer and the SKPA network, possibly at quarterly networking meetings (see goal 2, objective 2, action step 3) and/or at the annual Summit (see goal 2, objective 2, action step 1 and 2). Relevant information and data will be shared collaboratively and responsively. [TO BE COMPLETED BY JULY 2025]
  • ACTION STEP 2: The State Office will participate in local, regional, and statewide efforts and initiatives to mitigate or eliminate health disparities that affect the work of SKPA or its affiliate network and/or partners. Currently, the SKPA State Office Coordinator already participates in, and will continue to attend, the Safe States Alliance’s monthly Anti-Racism and Health Equity Workgroup, the State CDR Team Meeting, the American Trauma Society, PA Division’s Firearm Safety Workgroup, and other similar efforts. Additionally, the State Office Coordinator currently attends professional development opportunities that focus on equity in public health and child injury prevention and will continue to do so at least four times annually. Finally, a health equity lens will be applied to everyday work across SKPA, and new programs or materials developed will be examined for unintended consequences relating to health disparities. [ONGOING]
  • ACTION STEP 1: Research and document the possibility of adding additional staff to the State Office. Research would include assessment of space and physical capacity, establishing a proposed total cost (including salary, fringe, supplies, etc.), creating a proposed job description, and figuring out other logistic and operational issues. [TO BE COMPLETED BY DECEMBER 2025]

GOAL 4: INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING -Local Level:

Safe Kids PA will support and improve the activities and strategies of the SKPA affiliate network.

  • ACTION STEP 1: Throughout the grant agreement, the State Office will support the implementation of evidence-based or evidence-informed child injury prevention strategies by the SKPA affiliate network as demonstrated by community needs and following the approval of the Project Officer. [ONGOING]
  • ACTION STEP 3: Pilot the new expanded [funding] program with at least one SKPA group who will use the new application, receive funding for an approved program or opportunity, and provide feedback on the new/updated process. [TO BE COMPLETED BY JULY 2025]
  • ACTION STEP 1: At annual meetings between the SKPA State Coordinator and the SKPA coalition and partner coordinators, document challenges, barriers, and successes affecting the SKPA affiliate network. Provide possible resources for barriers and challenges; uplift the successes within the SKPA network. See goal 2, objective 1, action step 2. [TO BE COMPLETED BY DECEMBER 2025]
  • ACTION STEP 2: At the quarterly networking meetings (see goal 2, objective 2, action step 3), time will be provided for SKPA groups to discuss their work, strategize interventions, and troubleshoot difficulties with each other. These discussions will be documented in the meeting minutes, which are then provided to the entire SKPA network. [ONGOING]
  • ACTION STEP 1: Research and document the possibility of establishing funding for additional staff at the local level, for coalitions and partners, who could work to provide community outreach and education, logistics and operations support, and/or other work necessary to support the SKPA affiliate network. Research would include conducting a capacity assessment with SKPA groups to create comparable data, reviewing programs at other similar organizations (PennDOT being an example), establishing logistics around reporting lines for the staff, identifying any requirements for SKPA groups to match funding or provide other incentives, and answering other relevant questions. [TO BE COMPLETED BY JULY 2025]

YEAR ONE (July 2023 - June 2024)

All goals within Year One of the SKPA Strategy Plan were accomplished within a timely manner. All goals and strategies for Year One are listed below. Read the full Strategy Plan here.

GOAL 1: NETWORK AND CAPACITY BUILDING -State Level:

Safe Kids PA will strengthen the reach and capacity of the State Office by strategically partnering with outside organizations, groups, and stakeholders to further the goals of child injury prevention.​

  • ACTION STEP 1: With the statewide CDR coordinator, and Project Officer as relevant, create a shared understanding of the alignment and partnership between the CDR teams and SKPA network. Identify common goals and priorities; establish expectations around sharing power and resource distribution. [COMPLETE]
  • ACTION STEP 2: Identify potential statewide partners to support resource sharing around child injury prevention at the state level, based on identified priorities and shared initiatives. Ideally, include organizations that focus on similar topic areas, that have shared risk and/or protective factors, organize volunteers, and/or work to advance policies that align with our mission. [ONGOING]
  • ACTION STEP 4: Identify the geographic areas within PA with the most need for child injury prevention, as defined by higher-than-average rate of child injury, child death, child populations, and/or non-white child populations where there is not already coverage under SKPA. [COMPLETE]
  • ACTION STEP 1: Monitor state and/or federal legislation relevant to the mission of SKPA and SKW. If possible, the State Office will support and advocate for one piece of nonpartisan legislation each year, depending on relevancy and ability of the bill to increase child safety and injury prevention. [ONGOING]
  • ACTION STEP 2: Collect, synthesize, and distribute data on childhood injury and death to the SKPA network as it becomes available. This data should be recent, from reputable sources, and should focus on the identified priority areas of SKPA and/or SKW. Ideally, local data from hospitals or CDR teams should be utilized to inform prevention efforts, and regional or statewide injury data (from the state CDR or other state organizations) should be used to inform statewide strategies and initiatives. [ONGOING]
  • ACTION STEP 3: Annually, the State Office will collect qualitative and quantitative data from the SKPA network via one-on-one meetings with coordinators and data tracking spreadsheets (provided to SKPA coordinators by the State Office). The data will be synthesized into a summary document and be available to SKPA groups and the public. Qualitative data will include discussions of challenges, successes, and plans moving forward. Quantitative data includes number of events, number of people reached, numbers of items distributed, numbers of events with specific safety focus areas, and more. See goal 2, objective 1, action step 2. [COMPLETE]
  • ACTION STEP 4: Conduct community outreach by continuing ongoing website moderation, social media usage of at least five posts a month, and press releases at least three times a year on relevant child injury prevention topics. [ONGOING]

GOAL 2: NETWORK AND CAPACITY BUILDING -Local Level:

Safe Kids PA will support and facilitate capacity and networking building opportunities for the SKPA affiliate network, within the SKPA network itself and within their various communities.

  • ACTION STEP 1: Each month, the State Office will send out emails with resources on child injury prevention strategies, health equity resources and learning opportunities, funding opportunities as available, messaging from SKW, and any other relevant resources or materials. [ONGOING]
  • ACTION STEP 2: On an annual basis, the State Office will formally meet with coalition and partner coordinators to discuss the previous fiscal year, any current challenges, any successes, and any needs moving forward. The State Office will document these meetings and will use the information provided as qualitative data collection to inform the ongoing strategy of SKPA. Additional informal meetings can occur when necessary. [COMPLETE]
  • ACTION STEP 1: Before June 30, 2024, SKPA shall plan and host at a minimum one single day child injury prevention summit (Summit) on Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) for local child death review teams and the SKPA affiliate network, in coordination with the statewide CDR coordinator and the Project Officer. [COMPLETE]
  • ACTION STEP 3: The State Office will coordinate quarterly networking meetings for the SKPA network to maintain local engagement. [ONGOING]
  • ACTION STEP 1: Identify statewide and/or local data that indicate the top three to five non-English languages spoken/used within the service areas of SKPA groups. Select at least three to prioritize for professional translation. [COMPLETE]
  • ACTION STEP 2: Identify which educational resources/materials to be professionally translated based on the priority areas of SKPA (see goal 3, objective 1, action step 1) and/or SKW, literacy levels of the materials (including readability, use of pictures, etc.), availability of other translated materials, and community needs. [COMPLETE]

GOAL 3: INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING -State Level:

Safe Kids PA will strategically re-evaluate and improve its strategies and activities to ensure that the mission is optimized for all children in PA.

  • ACTION STEP 1: Based on recent statewide data, CDR data, and SKW priorities, the State Office will identify at least three child injury topics to focus on and prioritize across the state. While other safety topics may be highlighted by local SKPA groups, particularly as the CDR data indicates a need within their local communities, the identified topics will be given priority for translation services (see goal 2, objective 3, action step 2) and for statewide initiatives (see goal 3, objective 1, action step 2) [COMPLETE]
  • ACTION STEP 2: Each year, based on SKPA priorities (see goal 3, objective 1, action step 1) relevant data, and emerging trends, the State Office will choose one topic to prioritize with a statewide initiative, where resources and educational safety materials will be provided to the SKPA affiliate network relating to that topic. [COMPLETE]
  • ACTION STEP 3: Each year, the State Office will revisit and update progress on the Strategy Plan, both informally, on the SKPA website, and formally, with the Project Officer and the SKPA network, possibly at quarterly networking meetings (see goal 2, objective 2, action step 3) and/or at the annual Summit (see goal 2, objective 2, action step 1 and 2). Relevant information and data will be shared collaboratively and responsively. [COMPLETE]
  • ACTION STEP 1: Utilizing the goals and strategies of the National Stakeholder Strategy for Achieving Health Equity, the State Office will create a plan for a health disparities initiative in order to identify, address, and work to eliminate health disparities in the populations served by Title V. [COMPLETE]
  • ACTION STEP 2: The State Office will participate in local, regional, and statewide efforts and initiatives to mitigate or eliminate health disparities that affect the work of SKPA or its affiliate network and/or partners. Currently, the SKPA State Office Coordinator already participates in, and will continue to attend, the Safe States Alliance’s monthly Anti-Racism and Health Equity Workgroup, the State CDR Team Meeting, the American Trauma Society, PA Division’s Firearm Safety Workgroup, and other similar efforts. Additionally, the State Office Coordinator currently attends professional development opportunities that focus on equity in public health and child injury prevention and will continue to do so at least four times annually. Finally, a health equity lens will be applied to everyday work across SKPA, and new programs or materials developed will be examined for unintended consequences relating to health disparities. [ONGOING]

GOAL 4: INFRASTRUCTURE BUILDING -Local Level:

Safe Kids PA will support and improve the activities and strategies of the SKPA affiliate network.

  • ACTION STEP 1: Throughout the grant agreement, the State Office will support the implementation of evidence-based or evidence-informed child injury prevention strategies by the SKPA affiliate network as demonstrated by community needs and following the approval of the Project Officer. [COMPLETE]
  • ACTION STEP 2: Using the evidence-based/informed implementation strategy program (above), the State Office will draft an expansion of that program that would allow SKPA groups to apply for funding for at least one of the following: 1.) an evidence-based/informed project to educate and distribute safety materials to their community focusing on a specific and relevant safety topic; 2.) an expansion of a current program they facilitate in order to reach a new population of their community/service area and increase safety; 3.) a piloting of a new program they want to facilitate in their community but were not previously able to due to some sort of barrier; or 4.) attendance at a professional development opportunity that is relevant to Safe Kids work with appropriate documentation to justify attendance. [COMPLETE]
  • ACTION STEP 1: At annual meetings between the SKPA State Coordinator and the SKPA coalition and partner coordinators, document challenges, barriers, and successes affecting the SKPA affiliate network. Provide possible resources for barriers and challenges; uplift the successes within the SKPA network. See goal 2, objective 1, action step 2. [COMPLETE]
  • ACTION STEP 2: At the quarterly networking meetings (see goal 2, objective 2, action step 3), time will be provided for SKPA groups to discuss their work, strategize interventions, and troubleshoot difficulties with each other. These discussions will be documented in the meeting minutes, which are then provided to the entire SKPA network. [COMPLETE]
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