Dell Children’s Medical Center named the National Child Passenger Safety Team of the Year

Dell Children's Medical Center, a Texas Pediatric Level I Trauma Center, has been recognized for its outstanding dedication to safety, innovation, and leadership by receiving the prestigious National Child Passenger Safety Team of the Year award. The award is presented by the National Child Passenger Safety Board and sponsored by Toyota Motor North America.

"We are honored to be named the National Child Passenger Safety Team of the Year," said Stewart Williams, Dell Children's Injury Prevention Manager. "Our dedicated technicians and volunteers spend thousands of hours educating our community on the correct installation and use of car seats. This national recognition is a testament to that work and a success for every family we've helped keep safe."

As the only Pediatric Level I Trauma Center in Central Texas, Dell Children's is a regional leader in pediatric specialty care and injury prevention. Part of the Ascension Texas market, which includes 13 hospitals and over 120 clinic locations, Dell Children's is uniquely positioned to drive impactful child safety initiatives.

Driving Impact Through Service

At the core of this national recognition is Dell Children's dedicated Child Passenger Safety Technician Team, comprised of four certified instructors and four certified technicians. This team works daily with patient families and community members, keeping children safe on the road.

Annually, the team's vital work includes:

• Conducting over 1,000 individual car seat inspections.
• Distributing more than 2,000 car seats to families in need.
• Maintaining 10 permanent inspection and fitting stations across a five-county region, ensuring consistent access to car seat assistance.
• Responding to an average of 175 calls per month through its centralized TOTs line, with 56% of callers requesting car seats.

The team also excels as a regional leader in serving children with medical complexities. Four team members hold advanced special needs training, allowing them to provide inclusive, patient-centered transportation solutions. They conduct approximately 350 special needs car seat consultations annually, ensuring medically fragile children-a population often overlooked-have safe and appropriate travel options.

Ensuring a Car Seat for Every Child

Through a key partnership with Dell Children's Health Plan, the Child Passenger Safety team manages a voucher program that provides over 400 car seats each year to expecting mothers facing financial hardship who complete their prenatal care appointments. This proactive strategy links maternal health engagement with injury prevention early in a child's life.

Beyond direct service, Dell Children's Child Passenger Safety Team strengthens the profession by offering a minimum of six continuing education opportunities annually, teaching certification and renewal courses, and providing individualized mentoring to support the recertification of fellow Child Passenger Safety Technicians. Their leadership extends beyond Central Texas, including hands-on assistance and professional development support at state and national levels.