Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital to enhance heart safety in Connecticut schools

Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital Named State’s first and only Project ADAM Partner

New Haven (Feb. 1, 2022) –  Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital (YNHCH) has been named as the only partner in Connecticut for Project ADAM, a hospital-based community outreach program that prepares schools and communities to respond appropriately during a sudden cardiac arrest, an event in which the heart stops beating normally and needs immediate intervention to avoid sudden death.

“I care for patients and families with sudden cardiac arrest and have seen how even a small amount of preparation can make a huge difference in outcomes,” said Cheyenne Beach, MD, pediatric cardiologist, Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital, medical director of Project ADAM Connecticut. “Schools are where communities gather for events. We want to help them use their existing resources to best prepare for emergencies to keep students, staff and community members safe.”

As a Project ADAM partner, the team at YNHCH will ensure school staff are trained through annual drills, appropriate placement of and signage for automated external defibrillators (AEDs), and development of emergency response plans.

“We are proud to be part of this important effort to enhance school-safety across our state and protect children’s lives,” said Cynthia Sparer, executive director, Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital. “Our pediatric cardiology team has a deep understanding for how to effectively prepare for a cardiac emergency and is committed to helping schools achieve their emergency preparedness goals.” 

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) affects more than 350,000 people and approximately 7,000 children in the United States per year. While most SCA deaths occur in adults, SCA is also the leading cause of death in young athletes and can strike children participating in normal school or sports activities. Each minute defibrillation is delayed, the victim’s chances of survival decreases by 10 percent. 

To learn how your school can get involved, email: [email protected]

Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital (YNHCH) offers Connecticut’s largest and most comprehensive array of pediatric services. With 212 licensed beds, YNHCH includes two neonatal intensive care units, a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit, a pediatric intensive care unit, a 24-hour pediatric emergency room and a pediatric surgery center. YNHCH, with campuses in New Haven and Bridgeport, is part of the nationally recognized Yale New Haven Hospital, a 1,541-bed not-for-profit teaching hospital affiliated with Yale School of Medicine. The Yale New Haven Hospital campuses and associated ambulatory sites are Magnet-designated by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. In addition to its inpatient units, YNHCH has three Pediatric Specialty Centers in New Haven and others in Norwalk, Greenwich, Trumbull and Old Saybrook to provide specialty care to children closer to their communities.