Making a Difference for Children, Every Day

Making a difference in children's lives everyday. The children of Contra Costa County depend on us for emergency response in critical situations.

Children make up approximately 25% of our county population, 18-25% of all emergency department visits and approximately 10% of our 9-1-1 responses. By Although life threatening emergencies involving children are rare special skills and training are required. In Contra Costa, the emergency medical response for children is provided by a network of first-rate agencies, hospitals in partnership with child advocacy groups to reduce injury and death.

The Emergency Medical Services Division of Contra Costa Health Services works with these partners to ensure everyone involved in an emergency response is specially trained and properly equipped to care for infants and children. These are some of the ways we support these efforts:

• There is a coordinated plan to support Emergency Medical Services for Children throughout the county. See the plan.
• There is a countywide plan to support disaster preparedness and medical surge involving children. See the plan.
• Every 9-1-1 prehospital provider and emergency department professional has special training in the emergency care of infants and children.
• We strive to provide safe high-quality care from the time your 9-1-1 call is answered until you are delivered to the facility that best meets your child's needs.
• There is special emergency equipment to support 9-1-1 personnel in caring for children.
• We participate in supporting injury prevention efforts throughout the community.
  • Child Injury Prevention Network-Bay Area
  • Injury Prevention Project Contra Costa Health Services
  • John Muir Child Safety Coalition
  • Every 15 minutes supported by John Muir Health
  • National Every 15 minute Program
• We actively support and participate on the Technical Advisory Committee for California EMS for Children Program.
• There are treatment and triage protocols (PDF) to address the special needs of children.
• There are medication treatment guidelines (PDF) to support safe drug administration to children.
• Children's Hospital and Research Center Oakland is our designated Pediatric Critical Care Referral Center
• We work with other county agencies to support the safe surrender of infants
• We participate in national and state efforts to improve emergency care for infants and children.