PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Gurka, Kelly K
AU  - Linn, Herbert I
AU  - Jeffries, James E
TI  - 92 Violence and injury prevention program and injury control research centre as consummate partners: the west virginia experience
AID  - 10.1136/injuryprev-2017-042560.92
DP  - 2017 Sep 01
TA  - Injury Prevention
PG  - A34--A35
VI  - 23
IP  - Suppl 1
4099  - http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/23/Suppl_1/A34.3.short
4100  - http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/23/Suppl_1/A34.3.full
SO  - Inj Prev2017 Sep 01; 23
AB  - Statement of Purpose Since its genesis, the West Virginia Violence and Injury Prevention Program (VIPP) has increasingly engaged the West Virginia University Injury Control Research Centre (ICRC) as a primary advisor and collaborator. Thus, VIPP enlisted ICRC as a partner in the Prescription Drug Overdose: Prevention for States program (PfS) administered by the CDC to increase capacity to implement and evaluate public health approaches to prevent prescription opioid-related mortality in West Virginia.Approach The VIPP invited ICRC to consult on and to serve as the evaluation team for PfS. Results. ICRC is an effective collaborator, demonstrated by regular communication as well as participation in and significant contributions to activities of the VIPP. ICRC has enhanced PfS through use of its contacts and networks established by the outreach program, increased access to the injury prevention research and practice evidence base, and technical assistance provided by ICRC faculty and staff, multi-disciplinary researchers and practitioners with expertise in epidemiology, health policy, biostatistics, community outreach, and project management. For example, ICRC consults with VIPP technical staff, particularly in epidemiology and biostatistics. In addition, the partnership has increased VIPP capacity to leverage limited resources to obtain additional resources (e.g., CDC funding and National Governor’s Association technical assistance) and better utilise existing funds. To cite one example, based on its experience and success engaging communities and developing/supporting local harm reduction programs, WV employed ICRC to plan, conduct, and evaluate a state-level naloxone distribution program, a new aim for funding that would have otherwise gone unspent.Conclusions Developing an ICRC partnership increases state VIPP capacity to engage in evidence-based injury and violence prevention activities.Significance and Contribution to Injury and Violence Prevention By increasing capacity to deliver and evaluate its injury prevention agenda, state VIPPs can likely augment their impact on injury and violence in their state.