Texas Safe Community Coalition News

Coalition Name:

Injury Prevention Coalition of North Texas

Coalition Funding Source: (Examples, external grants: TxDOT, TDPH, Johnson Foundation, external agency: Texas Cooperative Extension, Gonzales Fire Department, or internal examples: self-funded, in-kind gifts, volunteers,)

• Texas Department of Transportation grant

• United Regional Health Care System donation of training time paid for technicians, office space and equipment , and coalition meals and meeting place

• North Texas Regional Advisory Council on Trauma donation of child seats received from Safe Riders grant, materials, and volunteer technicians

• In-kind donations of from McDonald’s for incentives for bicycle safety programs and helmets

• Local business-Donation of trailer for car seats from New Car Dealer’s Association

County or Geographic Boundary:

10 county region of Trauma Service Area-C which includes Archer, Baylor, Clay Foard, Hardeman, Jack, Montague, Wichita, Wilbarger and Young.

Mission Statement:

Our hope for North Texas is to truly make each and every community a safe community for everyone, including our children. We envision our communities experiencing declining injuries, less high-risk driving practice and roadways where everyone shares responsibility for safety. Citizens should be able to feel they can make a difference in their quality of life by helping to protect family, friends, and neighbors from injury and death.

Coalition Representation Background: (Please describe the membership of your coalition)

A partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation was developed about three years ago. Funding has been provided by TXDOT for injury prevention programs. The coalition has a strong collaboration with other groups, especially with the North Texas Regional Advisory Council on Trauma, Wichita County Medical Alliance, law enforcement (WFPD public safety officers, DPS) hospital representatives, EMS network and Nortex Prehospital Providers Association, rural TDH nurses, WFFD, MADD chapter, Adult Protective Services, Patsy’s House, American Red Cross chapter, North Texas Emergency Nurses Association, Sheppard AFB Safety Wing and Family Advocacy Center, State Farm Insurance, and Midwestern State University. Monthly coalition meetings are held at United Regional Health Care System. The

Injury/Fatality Data Sources:

TxDPS, TxDOT, ACTS, WFPD, NHTSA, Texas Department of Health trauma registry

Public Information and Education and Other Program Activities:

• Think First for Teens-High school presentations are conducted on drinking/driving and seat belt use and the use of fatal vision goggles for pre-prom activities and health classes.
• Think First for Kids– targets elementary school children.
• Child passenger safety/seat belt education programs are conducted at hospital and community safety fairs in 10 county region, local community events such as Kidsfest, Women’s EXPO. Senior Focus and hospital childbirth classes and pediatric admissions at URHCS.
• Teen Court ER Tour-held monthly as part of sentencing for Teen and Municipal Courts. Education on impaired driving/seat belt non-use presented with tour of ER.
• Teen Suicide Prevention Yellow Ribbon Program conducted in Wichita Falls ISD high schools health classes and Wichita Falls Boys and Girls Club staff education.
• Safe Rides for Seniors presentation addresses adaptations for driving skills for senior adults. Utilizes Ride Safe/Walk Safe slides and handouts from TDH.
• Home Safe Home presentation for Seniors to increase awareness of home hazards.
• Distribution of ACTS surveys has resulted in formation of new partnerships with school nurses, judges, and county extension agents.
• Wichita Falls Police Department and several rural departments, actively participate in "Click It or Ticket" campaigns, car safety seat inspections, speed reduction programs, and provide crime prevention specialists for the DARE program.
• Texas Department of Public Safety provides Trooper Bud and drug, impaired driving and other injury prevention programs.

For a complete listing of all of the programs presented, contact LaDonna Cooper (see below).

Program Outcome Measurements: (Coalition Successes - Describe successful traffic safety programming and activities which can include anecdotal statements.)

• Presented educational programs to over 5,000 students and community members.
• Plans are underway to establish partnerships with employers to sustain the coalition activities
• Over 20,000 safety brochures have been distributed in the 10 county Trauma Service Area on topics about child passenger safety, traffic safety, firearm injury prevention, poison prevention, bicycle/helmet safety, fall prevention, teen suicide prevention, and impaired driving as well as many others.
• Eight area hospitals have been involved in collaboration with the coalition and NTRAC with their health fairs and child passenger safety checkpoints with over 400 child safety seats inspected.
• Elderly mobility programs have been conducted in partnership with Adult Protective Services.

Evaluation Tool: (Describe the evaluation tool(s) used to measure change. (i.e. survey design, pre/post community traffic measurements, observational surveys, tests, questionnaires, focus group, user interface rating tool or evaluation report)