Think First Foundation: A National Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Prevention Program

Background

Program Goals:

A school based injury prevention curriculum to raise general awareness of preventable injury and influence policy initiatives. Two programs: Think First for Teens and Think First for Kids

Intent:

Unintentional

Risk Factors Addressed:

Nature of children and teens to act before thinking

Place of occurrence:

Home, school, and community

Age/Age Range:

Elementary and High School Students

Other Population Characteristics:

Impulsive actions, failure to consider consequences

Resources

Year Developed:

Ongoing program initiated in 1986

Collaborative Organization(s):

Neurosurgeons’ organizations
Corporations connected to neurosurgery
Ronald McDonald Charities
TD Bank 

Funding Resource(s):

Private and charitable funding

Implementation

Context/Setting:

School

Strategies Used:

Evaluation, Education, Engineering, Enactment

Activities Used:

Local initiatives supported by national offices
Collaboration with educators
Employs mass media for awareness raising
Modular classroom program is geared to children’s developmental progression 

Program Evaluation:

Two task force committees, one for Think First for Teens and one for Think First for Kids, are in place to review the programs for updates, revisions, and enhancement

Source of Best Practice:

Volpe, R., Lewko, J., & Battra, A. (2002). A Compendium of Effective, Evidence-Based Best Practices in Prevention of Neurotrauma. University of Toronto Press, Toronto.

Original Source:

Think First Foundation. (1999). Think First of Canada. Retrieved January 8, 2000 from http://www.medi-fax.com/thinkfirst/thinkcan.html

Supplementary Material:

N/A

Local Example(s):

N/A

Contact Information:       

Johnson, Deborah
Program Coordinator
National Think First USA
110 - 5550 Meadowbrook Dr
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008  USA
Tel: 847-692-2740 / 1-8001-THINK 56
Email: thinkfirst@aans.org

 Eleanor Sam, Exec. Dir.
Think First Foundation of Canada
2-435 McLaughlin Pavilion
399 Bathurst Street, Toronto, M5T 2S8
Tel: (416) 603-5212
Fax: (416) 603-7795
Email: think1st@netrover.com 

Outcomes

Long-term outcomes/Effectiveness:

Significant increases in knowledge and significant decreases in self-reported risky behaviours

Other Benefits:

Combination of environmental and behavioural approaches inherent in the Think First Foundation’s programs enhance the ability of program participants to positively reduce risk-taking behaviour and any resulting neurotrauma injuries

Other

Date of Review:

2000

Classification:

Best Practice