The concept for an Iowa Falls Prevention Coalition grew out of a 2010 work group of representatives from the Iowa Department on Aging, Iowa Department of Public Health, and the area agencies on aging to plan for Falls Prevention Awareness Day. By 2011, the group obtained grant funding to initiate the growth of evidence-based falls prevention programs leading to the establishment of the Iowa Falls Prevention Coalition. Iowa has had IFPC's coalition work plans included in other state health initiatives such as the Iowans Fit for Life project. From the beginning, Iowa’s coalition comprised of public health, business, education, community, and aging network partners.

Current goals and objectives for the Iowa Falls Prevention Coalition

ACTION PLAN GOALS: 2025-2027

1. Increase awareness of falls in Iowa and support more falls prevention education.
2. Expand falls screening activities across the state to better detect fall risk.
3. Enhance statewide capacity and sustainability for falls prevention programs through a community care hub model.
4. Support community-clinical linkages across the state for coordinated falls prevention efforts.
5. Effectively grow the policy and advocacy work of the Iowa Falls Prevention Coalition.

Leadership for the Iowa Falls Prevention Coalition

• “The Iowa Community HUB” (Co-Chair since 2018)
• Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Co-Chair since 2023)

Leadership Contact Information

• Trina Radske-Suchan, PT
   Iowa Community HUB
   tsuchan@iacommunityhub.org
• Liz Fridley, RDN, LDN
  Iowa HHS Division of Aging and Disability Services 
  liz.fridley@hhs.iowa.gov
   

Key Partners for the Iowa Falls Prevention Coalition

• Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS)
• Iowa Community HUB
• Multiple healthcare provider partners including MercyOne and UnityPoint
• Healthcare payers including Humana and Wellpoint
• Academic institutions including University of Iowa and Iowa State University
• Local public health departments
• Area Agencies on Aging
• EMS departments
• Senior living services
• Easterseals Iowa
• Habitat for Humanity
• AARP
• Silver Spaces
• Community advocates
• Multiple Associations including Brain Injury Association of Iowa, Iowa Hospital Association, Iowa Pharmacy Association

What has the Iowa Falls Prevention Coalition achieved? 

What are some current challenges for the Iowa State Falls Prevention Coalition?

1. IFPC is not set up to receive funding directly.
2. The Coalition is entirely volunteer-led.
3. Tracking existing efforts across the state is a challenge. Every two to three years (following a new action plan), the IFPC conducts discovery meetings to learn who is involved in falls prevention work in Iowa. IFPC's goal is to either support that work, fill gaps, and/or start new initiatives.
4. Other continued challenges include engaging with Iowa's employer base and farmers/agriculture and technology and connectivity gaps in Iowa's rural infrastructure. 

What evidence-based falls prevention programs are currently offered by the Iowa State Falls Prevention Coalition?

• A Matter of Balance 
• Stepping On
• Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention
• HARP
• Bingocize
• Healthy Steps for Older Adults

What outcomes are monitored by the Iowa Falls Prevention Coalition?

• Annual rates of hospitalizations and death due to fall-related injuries, as reported by Iowa HHS
• Goals achieved within the 3-Year Action Plan efforts 
• Working to centralize data collection and reporting through Iowa Community HUB
  • Number of referrals to falls prevention programs
  • Program outcomes (Iowa Community HUB) 

• Other sources of data to help measure success
  • Healthy Iowans - Iowa’s Health Improvement Plan 
  • National database(s) – NCOA, CDC, ACL, Agency for Healthcare Quality & Research, National Quality Forum

Learn more about the Iowa Falls Prevention Coalition

• Coalition website
• IFPC action plan
• Coalition charter