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Special Needs Occupant Protection ProgramProgram OverviewThe Florida Special Needs Occupant Protection Program is funded through a Florida Department of Transportation grant. The program increases access to special needs child safety seats/restraints for children with special health care needs. The American Academy of Pediatrics defines children with special health care needs as those who have, or are at risk for, chronic physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional conditions and who also require health and related services of a type or amount not usually required by typically developing children. Some special needs children have serious physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional conditions that prevent them from riding safely in regular child safety seats. Because special needs child safety seats can cost hundreds of dollars, and may be needed for only weeks or months, child passenger safety is frequently compromised. Typically, special needs child passenger seats/restraints are not available in retail outlets and are special ordered. Parents or caregivers of children with special health care needs often have no choice but to select a child passenger safety restraint for their child from a catalog. This does not allow the seat to be fitted to the child or their vehicle.
This program provides loaner special needs child safety seats/restraints and operates within eight children’s hospitals and one acute care hospital in Gainesville, Hollywood, Miami, Ft. Myers, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Pensacola, Tampa, and Tallahassee. Children with special health care needs are referred to the program and evaluated for special needs seats/restraints. Certified child passenger safety technicians working within the Florida Special Needs Occupant Protection Program receive additional training on transporting children with special health care needs. Under Florida law, e-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your e-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. For more information, please contact the local Special Needs Coordinator in your area or the Florida Special Needs Program Manager or call (850)245-4440. This page was updated on March 30, 2012. |
