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Advocacy Programs
Sometimes children and families that Children’s Hospital of Michigan serves need much more than medical care. They may also need education about health risk prevention, ways to lead healthier lifestyles, immunizations, intervention services for developmental delays or even assistance with basics such as food, clothing and shelter. That’s why Children’s Hospital of Michigan makes advocacy and community outreach programs a high priority. 
Children’s Hospital of Michigan and The Helppie Family Charitable Foundation, with the help of others, established the Helppie Institute for Child Health Advocacy to provide advocacy and outreach programs to assist patients, families and the community in obtaining the services they need.
The Helppie Institute for Child Health Advocacy at Children’s Hospital of Michigan will meet the needs of children through advocacy, prevention and treatment programs. The Institute serves to inspire others to get involved philanthropically with child health issues, prevention of childhood illness and injury and to foster collaboration among organizations devoted to the health of children.
The Institute also places special emphasis on assisting children in underserved urban settings and supports care and research regarding diseases such as cerebral palsy, HIV/AIDS and sickle cell anemia.
Our Advocacy Mission:
- To inform the public of the health of our community’s children, of prevention and screening programs, and of healthy life style choices.
- To promote public health and human service policies that advance the access to and provision of health care.
- To provide health programs and services to children as well as supportive services to complement care.
Following is a list of advocacy and community outreach programs. If you would like to find out more about any of these programs, please call (313) 745-2262.
The Carls Foundation Mobile Hearing Van – Provides hearing tests in the community.
CATCH Pediatric Mobile Health Services – Visits inner-city community sites and schools to provide free access to health care, offering immunizations, physical exams, treatment for minor ailments and screening for lead, anemia, tuberculosis, hearing and vision impairments, developmental delays and abuse.
Child Protection Center – Promotes education, research, prevention and specialized care for Michigan’s abused children.
Child Witness to Violence – Counseling, advocacy and outreach to young people who are victims or witnesses of family and community violence. This project is funded in part by the Avon Foundation's Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program.
Early On Collaborative – Service coordination and early intervention for families of children ages 0-3 with developmental delays or special healthcare needs.
Horizon’s Project – HIV prevention education and intervention for at-risk youth, and direct care services to HIV-positive teens and young adults aged 13 to 24.
Immunization Station – Provides immunizations to families whose children are less than 19 years old who are Medicaid-eligible, Alaskan Native/American Indians, or are underinsured.
Project Permanency – Assists homeless families in locating and obtaining healthy and permanent housing.
Poison Control Center – A 24/7 hotline (1-800-222-1222) staffed by healthcare specialists providing information and referrals to concerned parents, health professionals and local health departments.
Reach Out And Read (ROAR) – Healthcare professionals encouraging parents and children to read aloud together by providing age appropriate reading material during well child visits.
School-based Health Centers – Three school-based health centers provide free healthcare including physicals, conflict resolution techniques and preventive education to children and adolescents.
Supporting Families in Pediatric Practice – Provides home-based developmental and parenting support for high-risk families of children
ages 0-5.
Support Programs: Programs to meet family needs and complement health care
Clothes Closet – Provides free clothing items, outerwear, and layette materials to hospitalized patients and families in need.
Comforting Care – Coordinates hospital staff and resources to provide service and information to terminally ill children and their families.
Diabetes Patient Education and Support – Provides diabetic workshops offering family support and education.
Friends Like Me – Provides childhood cancer survivors specialized detection services and appropriate healthcare crucial to remaining healthy.
Hemophilia Parent Education – Provides educational and support workshops for parents of children with hemophilia.
Home Alone – A class that discusses and prepares age appropriate children to be safe and injury free when home.
Kids Kicking Cancer Karate Club – Karate program for children with cancer focused on strengthening them physically and emotionally.
Pediatric Cancer Survivor Day – Provides childhood cancer survivors opportunities to develop new friendships with children and families facing similar issues; identify and share feelings and concerns, and develop positive coping strategies.
Project Challenge – A summer and winter day camp providing a full range of psychosocial and recreational programs to improve the quality of life for children infected or affected by HIV.
Child Passenger Safety – Provides educational programs to the community on correct use of car seats; car seat inspection/check services, and car seats to CHM patients in need.
DetroitKidsData.org – Provides an interactive web-based data repository of health and developmental status of Metropolitan Detroit children and their families.
Health and Wellness Community Presentations – Lectures and classes in the community such as Career Days and Home Alone.
HIV/AIDS Education –HIV/AIDS education programs and HIV counseling to teens and young adults by peer educators.
Safe Kids Metro Detroit – A community coalition dedicated to eliminating preventable injuries and deaths suffered by children under the
age of 14. Children’s Hospital is the lead agency for this coalition.
Safe Sitter – A program for ages 11 to 13 to become safe, nurturing babysitters.
Trauma Related Injury Prevention – A comprehensive, age specific safety education and injury prevention program delivered in 30-minute segments. Topics covered include choking, suffocation & strangulation; poison prevention; motor vehicle safety & bus safety; pedestrian safety; water safety; personal safety; gun safety; and Home Alone Safety Jeopardy.
Conflict Management and Diversity Training – Provides programs promoting peaceful mediation of conflicts that respects diverse styles of communication and help seeking behaviors.
Learn how advocacy, prevention and treatment programs can help your family by calling (313) 745-2262.