State Information
Spotlight on the States
If you have a program to highlight, please send a short description and your contact information to Jennifer Allison. Thank you.
Teaching Teens & Parents about Traumatic Brain Injuries, June, 2010
Each year, more than 260 teens in Washington State are hospitalized as a consequence of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The Washington State Injury & Violence Prevention Program created a video to educate teens and their parents about TBIs.
ATV Safety in Arkansas: Disseminating the Message to Rural Communities, April, 2010
Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH) formed a community work group in 2001 to begin a dialogue on ATV safety. Through this partnership, innovative safety information has been disseminated via posters, a video, PSAs, and a tool kit.
Using Health Impact Assessment to Prevent Injuries in Oregon, February, 2010
Oregon’s Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Working Group concluded that strategies to reduce the use of motor vehicles have the potential to prevent injuries from car collisions, including those to pedestrians and bicyclists.
Preventing Drowning in Alaska: Kids Don’t Float, October, 2009
While driving home from an injury prevention conference, Homer Fire Chief Robert Painter came up with the idea for Kids Don’t Float, a drowning prevention program that combines personal floatation device (PFD) loaner stations with water safety education.
Preventing Firearms-Related Suicide in Montana
, August, 2009
Firearms are involved in 66% of the suicides in Montana. In response, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services launched an initiative in which free gun locks, accompanied by suicide prevention information are distributed to the public.
Involving Fathers in Hawaii, May, 2009
Hawaii’s Hui Makuakane Father Support Program was an innovative effort in which Father Facilitators provided home-based support services—with an emphasis on father-child involvement—to families with young children.
Creating an Injury Prevention Basic Certificate Course in Delaware, October, 2008
Recognizing a critical need for injury and violence prevention training for health professionals, Delaware created an Injury Prevention Basic Certificate Course on CD-ROM that can be used at times and in places convenient to the learner.
Training Role Models in Rhode Island, August, 2008
Men2Be is an innovative role model training program that helps men encourage boys to make healthy decisions. The program teaches men to communicate effectively with adolescent boys, recognize risk behaviors, and assist boys in developing good character and habits.
Preventing Bullying in Virginia, March, 2008
The Virginia Office of Family Health Services is expanding the use of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program by providing resources and technical assistance to Olweus programs in 45 elementary and middle schools in an effort that is reaching more than 40,000 students.
Screening for Domestic Violence in Massachusetts, January, 2008
The Massachusetts Division of Violence and Injury Prevention is working to identify and help victims of intimate partner violence using the Domestic Violence Screening, Care, Referral, and Information Project (DV SCRIP).
New Jersey: Traumatic Loss Coalitions, September, 2007
In 1995, after a tragic year in which eight children and a teacher died by suicide, the Mercer County (New Jersey) Traumatic Loss Coalition (TLC) was created. The TLC developed a model for responding to distressing events, including suicides, which is now used in all 21 of New Jersey's counties.
Using a Memorandum of Understanding to Promote Injury Prevention, June, 2007
Washington's MCH, EMS & Trauma Systems, and Environmental Health & Safety Offices signed a Memorandum of Understanding to sustain their collaboration on injury and violence prevention (IVP), develop an injury prevention plan, and raise the profile of IVP activities.
Integrating Injury Prevention and Adolescent Health: An example in West Virginia, January, 2007
West Virginia's Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health's Adolescent Health Initiative is furthering its mission to promote the well-being of children and youth while also addressing injury prevention challenges identified by the State's Title V Needs Assessment.
Informing Injury Prevention Policy in New Mexico, November, 2006
The New Mexico Office of Injury Prevention demonstrates how a public health department can inform State injury prevention policy by bringing science and data to policymakers, especially information on the public costs of injuries.
A Health Department/College Partnership to Prevent Injuries through a Social Marketing Campaign in Massachusetts, October, 2006
The Injury Prevention and Control Program of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health partnered with Emerson College's Summer Institute to develop innovative ideas for an upcoming social marketing campaign to prevent falls among the elderly.
Wisconsin Interactive Statistics on Health, August, 2006
Wisconsin Interactive Statistics on Health (WISH) is an online system that allows users to generate statistics on a variety of health indicators, including deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits due to injuries. WISH helped change the way local public health practitioners in Wisconsin look at injuries.
Iowa's Keeping Kids Safe Conference, June, 2006
Keeping Kids Safe is an annual injury prevention conference that gives injury prevention practitioners a chance to hear national speakers, meet State decision-makers and advocates, and receive safety training.
California Local Public Health and the Built Environment Network, May, 2006
California's Local Public Health and Built Environment Network is helping public health practitioners find common interest with transportation planners, community development agencies, and land-use committees in order to make it safer and more attractive for residents to walk and bicycle.
Alabama Child Death Review System, April, 2006
The ACDRS State Office in the Alabama Department of Public Health uses data to support and train local child death review teams, initiate and collaborate with State and local injury prevention programs, and support the work of the State Child Death Review Team.
Connecticut Young Worker Safety Team, March, 2006
The CDPH and the Connecticut Young Worker Safety Team are training teachers, school-to-work staff, job training instructors, and other adults to use Work Safe!, a curriculum that teaches teens to identify and address workplace hazards.
Preventing Youth Suicide in Oregon, January, 2006
Oregon's Connecting Youth project identifies and provides services to children and adolescents who have attempted suicide. The project is being carried out by the Oregon Department of Human Service's Injury Prevention and Epidemiology Section with funding from the Northwest Health Foundation.
Promoting Booster Seats in Colorado, December, 2005
The Colorado Department of Health and Environment and its partners are using a CDC grant to evaluate a strategy to promote child passenger booster seats. The project targets child care center owners and is also reaching parents through child care centers.
Preventing Child Sexual Abuse in Virginia, November, 2005
The Virginia Department of Health uses an existing national helpline and a public education campaign to prevent child sexual abuse and provide Virginians with access to an innovative prevention strategy as well as local resources and referrals.
Promoting E-codes in Minnesota, October, 2005
The Minnesota Department of Health uses trainings, conferences, and a "pocket card" to encourage health care providers to include External Cause of Injury (E) Codes in their medical records.