Barbara Barlow: Playing It Safe

Playing It Safe

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Barbara Barlow '60, M.D., founded the Harlem Hospital Injury Prevention Program to address the alarming numbers of children sustaining preventable injuries because they had no safe place to play and no after-school activities. She undertook rebuilding Harlem's playgrounds, creating a dance program, sponsoring Little League teams, and other programs. H.H.I.P.P. has orchestrated the building of 35 school playgrounds (with plans for more on the drawing board) and coordinates a district-wide Bike Smart initiative, teaching all third graders in the public school system street and bike safety. The result has been a 48% decrease in major injury hospital visits by Harlem children. Barlow's program is so successful that it has inspired a national coalition, the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. With H.H.I.P.P. as the model and Barlow serving as executive director for the national program, injury prevention programs are now in place in 37 cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis.