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Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition

History of the Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition:
In May 2010, a grant was provided by the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust to support the development of the Arizona’s Falls Prevention Coalition; this initial funding helped support the development of the coalition’s structure and vision and funded work on the coalition's established goals and objectives.

Organizations that played a key role in the formulation of the Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition:
The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust participated in the National Summit and remains active in the National Falls Free© Coalition; not surprisingly the Trust has been helping to fund the fall prevention activities and infrastructure development within the Trust’s community of service: Phoenix. As the local Phoenix collaborative effort evolved, it reached out to the Governor's Office on Aging to expand fall prevention to the state where a growing retiree population is at risk of falls. A.T. Still University subsequently joined the efforts of the Trust and the Governor’s Office on Aging as a strong partner in the early work to develop Arizona’s state wide coalition.

Goals and objectives of the Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition:
Within the state effort to reduce falls and fall related injuries in older adults, several support objectives have been established which will be monitored and addressed through coalition efforts. Objectives include:

improving older adult access to falls prevention programming;
coordinating evidence-based falls prevention programs and services in Maricopa County;
providing technical assistance to falls prevention program providers, including web-based services, mentoring, and a Speaker's Bureau;
creating a continuum of falls prevention opportunities and efforts by identifying and promoting prioritized components of evidence-based falls prevention activities for organizations unable to offer the entire program; and
ensuring a connection between individual falls prevention programs and the broader statewide collaboration between the aging network and the public health community to promote chronic disease self-management

Funding of the Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition:
In this early development work the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust and A.T. Sill University are keys to sustaining the effort in collaboration with the lead agency, the Governor’s Office on Aging. Additional sustainability strategies will be considered by the steering committee as the process unfolds.

Organizations that took the lead in developing the Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition:
In addition to the organizing triad -- the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, A.T. Still University, and the Governor’s Office on Aging -- the Arizona Department of Health Services recently joined the Coalition building effort bringing another key partner to Arizona’s fall prevention activity.

Structure and function of the steering committee:
The four key organizations are serving as the Steering Committee with plans to meet monthly for the first 3 or 4 months, then perhaps on a bimonthly basis as the Maricopa County and eventually statewide coalition is formed and launched.

2-3 challenges encountered:
In this early development organizing challenges were encountered, including identifying the Steering Committee members and Coalition agendas for the 1st meeting.

2-3 successes to share:
An important success in this early development stage is garnering A.T. Still University's support as well as the participation of the Arizona Department of Health Services.

A second success was obtaining the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust sponsorship to attend the National State Coalitions on Fall Prevention Workgroup meeting and accessing the technical assistance offered by the Workgroup and its sponsoring agency the National Council on Aging.

A.T. Still recently initiated a opportunity for students to be trained in A Matter of Balance to build infrastructure in the local community.

Outcomes being monitored:
In this early stage of development, outcomes are being discussed but not yet identified.

For additional information and an opportunity to join this exciting work in Arizona, contact:

Deborah Elliott, MSW
Vice President of Client Services
Area Agency on Aging
Director, Care Directions®
Phone: 602 264-2273
debby.elliott@aaaphx.org

Website: www.azstopfalls.org/site/Home.aspx

Injury Surveillance and Prevention Plan for the State of Arizona: http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/owch/pdf/injury_plan_06-10.pdf