(Outstanding Innovative Project)

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Injuries are the leading cause of death and disability in children and adults through age 44, and are responsible for more potential life lost than cancer and heart disease combined. Each year about 5 million New York state residents require medical attention due to nonfatal injuries. The estimated annual expenditures for hospitalizations due to injury in New York is approximately $1.5 billion. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of central nervous system injuries and the leading cause of unintentional injury and death in New York.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of the Injury Control Local Health Units program is to reduce the incidence of injuries in New York, particularly those resulting from motor vehicle crashes. Specific objectives include:

• Providing services for all county residents to improve public health
• Providing oversight, technical assistance, resources and materials, and guidance for injury prevention activities in the county
• Integrating injury prevention activities into existing public health programs
• Establishing and maintaining community injury prevention coalitions
  

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The New York State Department of Health Bureau of Injury Prevention provides oversight for the injury activities of 58 Local Health Units in the state. Each local unit's Department of Health develops a county-specific Municipal Health Services Plan (MHSP) every two years. The Injury Prevention and Control Section of the MHSP includes the following:

• A community needs assessment and problem identification
• Existing collaborations and activities
• Needed services
• A workplan for each two year cycle

The Local Health Units have an injury control coordinator who works directly with the New York State Department of Health Injury Control Program in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the county-specific plan. The Local Heath Units collaborate with existing injury prevention efforts in their counties, including those in the area of traffic safety, such as Traffic Safety Boards, STOP-DWI and Advocates.

Each local health unit MHSP is unique in that it reflects the needs of the individual communities. The community needs assessment serves as the basis for the development of the Injury Control and Prevention Plan to reduce the rate of injury and death among the county residents. The significance of motor vehicle crashes throughout New York has prompted all of the county plans to include extensive strategies for reducing traffic related injuries. These traffic safety efforts include child safety seat distribution, bicycle helmet distribution, occupant protection projects and pedestrian safety measures. Using Section 402 funds provided by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee, training is provided for the Local Health Unit staff in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the traffic safety projects by the New York State Department of Health Injury Control Program.

FALL 1998