WELCOME TO SAFE COMMUNITIES AMERICA

Safe Communities America, Inc. is the new, non-profit coordinating and accrediting organization for Safe Communities in the United States.  In affiliation with the Pan-Pacific Safe Communities Network, we extend national and international accreditation to communities that meet the Safe Communities standards.

The National Safety Council formerly served as the US accrediting organization for Safe Communities, but SCA became an independent, non-profit organization in 2018.  SCA is governed by a board of directors composed of representatives from accredited Safe Communities in the US, as well as from the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center (KIPRC). KIPRC was accredited as an International Safe Communities Support Center in 2013 and reaccredited in 2018 by the Pan Pacific Safe Communities Network (PPSCN).  KIPRC also currently serves as the national Safe Community Accrediting Center in the United States.

This website is currently under construction but more content will be added soon.  In the meantime, please be aware that SCA is accepting applications from communities seeking Safe Community accreditation and we are moving forward with the review process for those communities currently in the application process.

What is a Safe Community? 

A Safe Community is a community where people can live, work and play without fear or risk of injury.  It is a place that is safe and attractive to live and to visit.  It is a place where community leaders and organizations have come together to plan and create programs that reduce injury and violence and improve community health and well-being. 

Most injuries and "accidents" are both predictable and preventable.  We know that doing certain things increases our risk for being injured, while doing other things reduces our risk of injury.  A Safe Community is a community that has made a commitment to doing things that reduce injury risk while avoiding choices that increase the risk of injury. 

The Safe Communities program is an international initiative supported by the World Health Organization (WHO).  It is a program that establishes standards and guidelines for communities that want to develop effective, sustainable injury prevention programs.  Communities that meet the standards can be accredited nationally and internationally as a Safe Community.  Accreditation recognizes and affirms that the community has the necessary commitment and infrastructure in place to plan, implement and evaluate effective programs to reduce injuries and violence.  Safe Communities in the United States are accredited nationally by Safe Communities America, through KIPRC, and internationally by the PPSCN.