Tcrhcc tipcap project - tcrhcc serves a large, rural population of navajo, hopi, and SAN juan southern paiute people across more than 7,000 square miles in coconino and navajo counties, arizona

The Department of Health and Human Services Indian Health Service awarded Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation a $150,000 cooperative agreement on January 1, 2026 under the Injury Prevention Program for American Indians and Alaskan Natives (CFDA 93.284).

TCRHCC will expand its Injury Prevention Program to address four leading causes of preventable injury and death within its service area: motor vehicle crashes, injuries associated with alcohol and substance misuse, elder falls, and suicide. The program serves a large rural population of Navajo, Hopi, and San Juan Southern Paiute people across more than 7,000 square miles in Coconino and Navajo counties, Arizona. Over the five-year performance period through December 31, 2030, TCRHCC's stated goals include achieving a consistent five percent annual reduction in injuries and fatalities related to motor vehicle crashes and substance misuse, and achieving a five percent increase in outreach and education related to elder falls and suicide prevention.

The program will prioritize motor vehicle crash prevention and substance misuse in years one and two, followed by expansion of community education in elder falls and suicide prevention. Implementation strategies endorsed by the CDC and Indian Health Service include the Child Passenger Safety Program, CDC Overdose Data to Action Framework, MATTER of Balance, and Mental Health First Aid interventions. Specific activities include car seat clinics and safety checkpoints, Narcan and fentanyl test strip distribution, home safety assessments for elders, and culturally tailored suicide prevention education. TCRHCC will hire a full-time Injury Prevention Coordinator to lead program delivery.

As a P.L. 93-638, title v self-governance tribal health organization, tcrhcc operates a 73-bed hospital, specialty clinics, and a federally qualified health center mobile health program that reaches some of the most remote communities in the southwest. The proposed project seeks funding through part 1 of the tipcap program and will expand tcrhcc's injury prevention program (IPP) to address four leading causes of preventable injury and death within its service area: motor vehicle crashes (mvcs), injuries associated with alcohol and substance misuse, elder falls, and suicide. Local and state data confirm that these injuries account for a disproportionate share of emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and fatalities among american indian/alaska native populations in northern arizona. Tcrhcc's five-year goal is to achieve a consistent five percent annual reduction in injuries and fatalities related to mvcs an injuries associated with alcohol and substance misuse. Additional goals include achieving five percent increase in outreach and education related to elder falls and suicide prevention. The program will prioritize motor vehicle crash prevention and substance misuse in years 1 and 2, followed by expansion of community education in elder falls and suicide prevention. The IPP will implement evidence-based and evidence-informed strategies endorsed by the CDC and indian health service IHS. These include the child passenger safety program, CDC overdose data to action framework, matter of balance, mental health first aid (mhfa) interventions will include car seat clinics and safety checkpoints, narcan and fentanyl test strip distribution, home safety assessments for elders, and culturally tailored suicide prevention education. A full-time injury prevention coordinator (IPC), supervised by the environmental health officer, will lead the implementation, data analysis, and evaluation of all program activities. The IPC will coordinate with multidisciplinary internal and external partners to ensure alignment, improve efficiency, and maximize impact. Evaluation will be guided by a mixed-methods framework integrating quantitative injury surveillance and qualitative community feedback. Data will be collected quarterly through tcrhcc's injury data surveillance system (idss) and the electronic health record (EHR) to monitor trends, measure performance, and inform quality improvement. Tcrhcc's proposed part i injury prevention program will combine cultural relevance, community leadership, and data-driven public health practices to advance safety, wellness, and self-determination across the tuba city service area. Expected outcomes include increased seatbelt and car seat use, reduced alcohol-impaired driving, fewer overdose-related hospitalizations and deaths, improved elder safety and mobility, expanded community training in suicide prevention and crisis response, and strengthened local capacity to sustain injury prevention efforts beyond the grant period.