Since its inception nearly 70 years ago, Children's Hospital's commitment has always been to best serve the children of its community, in both times of sickness and wellness. It is with that legacy that the hospital continues to invest heavily in not only hospital programs, physicians, and infrastructure, but also in community programs like The Parenting Center, the Morgan Rae Center for Hope, and ThriveKids Student Wellness Program.
It's in the hospital's very DNA to get involved when there is an issue affecting kids in the community. That's why in 2023, Children's Hospital set its sights on helping to make an impact on the leading cause of death for kids and teens in the US: guns. The statistics are staggering. Guns are the leading cause of death for kids under 18 in Louisiana and across the United States, and 4.6 million children across the country live in homes with at least one gun that is loaded and unlocked. Each year in the US, more than 350 children gain access to a firearm and unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else -- sometimes fatally, and more than 700 children die by suicide with a gun each year.
To face this issue head on, in April of 2023, Children's Hospital teamed up with the New Orleans Health Department and the national Be SMART program to create its own gun safety program. The hospital's Be SMART program works to prevent gun injuries in kids through a two-pronged approach. Children's Hospital pediatric surgeon, Dr. Fabienne Gray, and the hospital's Level II Trauma team, in partnership with the New Orleans Health Department, have taken the lead on bringing this program to the community with education on secure gun storage and through the distribution of biometric gun safes to gun owners in the community.
The hospital and the City of New Orleans have invested significantly in both educational materials and in gun safes, and through activations at the hospital and events in the community, have given away more than 1,300 gun safes to date, and are on track to distribute 700 more by the end of 2024. With a renewed commitment from the City of New Orleans of $300,000 over the next three years, the hospital looks forward to continuing to make a positive impact on kids in the community, with plans to target neighborhoods with the greatest needs looking into the year ahead.
"We urge the community to join us in spreading this life saving message across New Orleans and beyond," said Lucio A. Fragoso, President and CEO of Children's Hospital. "As the only verified Level II Pediatric Trauma Center serving Greater New Orleans, we care for far too many of these children in our Emergency Department, our Operating Rooms and Intensive Care Units. But together, we have the power to prevent tragedies like these from happening and to keep kids happy and healthy."
The community has indeed answered the call to help amplify the message of gun safety and the Be SMART campaign. In June, local music venue Chickie Wah Wah teamed up with Children's Hospital to host a benefit concert to raise funds for the program. Local artists Shamarr Allen and Maggie Koerner lit up the stage for event-goers, raising funds to support the gun safety program.
The message of secure gun storage to prevent gun related deaths and injuries among kids and teens has reached national attention. This summer, Fragoso was invited to Washington D.C. to join a convening of health sector CEOs hosted by the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention in collaboration with Children's Hospital Association. The goal of the meeting was to bring together health leaders and senior White House officials to discuss hospitals' and health systems' roles in addressing the public health crisis of gun violence, with a strong focus on suicide prevention. Fragoso addressed the constituency and highlighted the work being done at Children's Hospital and across the New Orleans community to address the public health crisis of gun violence and to help keep kids safe.
According to follow-up surveys of gun safe recipients, 90% have noted using the safes and 100% have reported feeling that their children are safer with guns securely stored in a safe. Children's Hospital is proud to continue to be a catalyst for positive change when it comes to the health and safety of children. To learn more about the gun safety program and how you can get involved, visit chnola.org/BeSMART.