Indian Health Center gives away car seats to its clients

By Michele Leung

Throughout March, the Indian Health Center is advocating injury prevention to children. In its biggest event of the month, Child Passenger Safety Day, on March 15, the center gave away 25 car seats to its clients.

The Indian Health Center led two workshops, one in English and one in Spanish, on the correct way to install a child safety seat. Staff members supplemented a video presentation with one-on-one instruction and demonstrations on strapping car seats in vehicles. The parents then performed the installations themselves. "No car seat is universal to all cars," said Gloria Valdez-Patino, community health representative.

Julie Gallego, community health director, was pleased that women brought their parents, husbands and others, who travel with their children in cars. "This is education for the rest of the family. This was a bigger audience than we anticipated," she said.

Employees at the center hope to increase awareness and education on California safety laws. Children up to 4 years old and 40 pounds must be strapped in, and, beginning in 2001, kids 7 years old and 70 pounds will be required to sit in a booster seat.

According to a recent survey, 98 percent of parents in Santa Clara County do not have car seats properly put in place. "I have three car seats that were installed improperly until Julie told me. Now my kids are safe," said Monica Ayala, who works at the center.

Workshop attendants were grateful for the instructions and felt the seminar gave them peace of mind. Ayala showed Laticia Galindo that her car seat was strapped in too loosely to protect her daughter, Vanessa, 3. Galindo also left with a new booster seat for Jessica, 4. "I thought it was just click and go," she said through a translator. "I've got no more worries."

The car seat workshop was funded by a $6,000 grant the center received from a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) program called California Kids Plate. Customers may purchase vanity license plates for $50 with special symbols--heart, star, hand or plus sign. All proceeds will fund child-safety programs.

The workshop lasted only one day, but the center purchased 85 infant, convertible (for newborns and toddlers) and booster seats they will give away until June. To set up an appointment to receive a car seat, recipients must be a patient of the health center or of Native American descent.

The future of the car seat workshop hinges on whether or not the Indian Health Center will receive more money from California Kids Plate. For now, the staff is content to know that they have increased their patients' understanding of child safety. Gallego says that eight years ago, it was a struggle to give out even one car seat, but the situation has since reversed.

"I see people seeking out our services and knocking on our doors," she said. "It's rewarding to see our awareness message get out. Now, the challenge is to make the awareness be properly put to use."

Car seat safety is only one of the topics the health center advocates during its Child Injury Prevention Month. The center, also, gives away wall outlet plugs, bike helmets and smoke detectors, and has informational booths on issues, such as lead poisoning.

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To pick up an application for personalized license plates or for more information, call the Indian Health Center at 445-3400. The center is located at 1333 Meridian Ave.

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