Abstract

Injury and violence are among the most serious public health challenges facing our communities. Injuries are the leading cause of death for Americans 1–44, resulting in over $406 billion in health costs and lost productivity. At the same time, pervasive violence results in substantial health effects; over 740 000 youth are treated in the ER annually as a result of violence, the second leading cause of death for youth 10–24. While unintentional and intentional injury prevention advocates have traditionally been siloed from each other, there are benefits to coordinating efforts. Understanding partner intentions and motivations, perspectives on the issue at hand, communication styles, professional and community cultures, and varying interests, values, and missions can lead to more effective collaboration.

Informed by years of experience working collaboratively with a range of diverse organisations on community prevention efforts, Prevention Institute developed Collaboration Multiplier, a framework for community stakeholders and decision makers to learn more about each other and identify ways of working together. Advocates from both unintentional and intentional injury fields can engage groups across a multitude of sectors and disciplines, including public health, policymakers, planners, law enforcement, educators, community-based organisations, and health care providers to leverage expertise, share data and best practices, and maximise their collective impact.

This presentation will share the lessons learned from various community efforts utilising multi-sector collaboration and introduce a tool for delineating potential roles for unintentional and intentional injury advocates to engage in strategies to create safe and equitable communities.