CSK tribal injury prevention cooperative agreement program. Will address the disproportionate burden of injuries experienced among native american older adults and elders and reduce fall risk

The Department of Health and Human Services Indian Health Service awarded a Cooperative Agreement to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation on January 1, 2026, under the Injury Prevention Program for American Indians and Alaskan Natives (CFDA 93.284). The award funds Part I activities of the Tribal Injury Prevention Cooperative Agreement Program (TIPCAP) to prevent and reduce fall-related injuries among Native American older adults and elders on the Flathead Reservation through community-driven strategies aligned with an indigenous holistic health framework.

The recipient will deliver evidence-based fall prevention services targeting 550 program participants by year 5 across three primary objectives: coordinate and expand culturally responsive strength and balance programming reaching 60 older adult participants annually (300 by year 5); develop clinical and cross-departmental referral systems to conduct fall-risk assessments and deliver home safety assessment and modification services to 250 Native American older adults by year 5; and build implementation capacity and data infrastructure while providing annual dissemination reports to stakeholders (five total by year 5).

The award totals $150,000 obligated through December 31, 2030, with work performed in Montana. A Community Advisory Board and Steering Committee will provide guidance and oversight. The program employs collaborative evaluation using mixed methods and an implementation lens to advance understanding of community impacts.

Abstract

Tribal health of the confederated salish and kootenai tribes (cskt) proposes part i activities of the tribal injury prevention cooperative agreement program (tipcap) with the vision to prevent and reduce injury from falls by implementing community-driven strategies and the indigenous holistic health framework. In this way, the cskt tipcap will address the disproportionate burden of injuries experienced among native american (NA) older adults and elders, and will work to create safer, stronger, age-friendly communities across the flathead reservation. The overall goal is to reduce fall risk among cskt older adults by delivering evidence-based fall prevention services to 550 program participants by year 5, comprising approximately 25% of the cskt older adult population. We will accomplish this goal through three objectives: (1) coordinate, expand, and sustain participation in culturally and contextually responsive strength and balance offerings by cskt tribal health to reach 60 older adult participants annually, for a total of 300 participants by year 5. (2) develop clinical and cross-departmental collaboration and referral systems to assess fall risk and deliver home safety assessment and/or modification services to reduce falls and promote safety among 250 NA older adults by year 5. And (3) cultivate tipcap sustainability through implementation capacity and data infrastructure, and provide one dissemination report to stakeholders annually, for a total of five reports by year 5. We will use a collaborative evaluation approach, mixed methods, and an implementation lens to advance understanding of the cskt tipcap community impacts. We will gain guidance and oversight through a community advisory board and steering committee to ensure alignment with community priorities. Dissemination activities will include community-facing materials, and presentation to local, regional, and national entities.