Injury Prevention

Unintentional and violence-related injury fatalities, counting suicide, homicide, drug overdoses, motor vehicle crashes, and falls were among the 10 leading causes of death for all age groups in the United States in 2019. Injury is the leading cause of all deaths for children and adults between ages 1 and 45 (CDC).

Most injuries are preventable. Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) works in the local community, educating clinicians and families and distributing safety materials. Through partnerships, we support many community initiatives designed to prevent injury and fatalities.

Areas of Injury Prevention Focus:

Unintentional Falls among Seniors

• NNPH develops and maintains relevant fall prevention resources and linkages to resources and support services, including medication assessment and home safety modifications.
• NNPH performs community outreach in target areas to promote resource utilization.

Suicide Prevention:

• NNPH leads Zero Suicide program efforts that include providing training to increase community capacity to identify and asist someone at risk of suicide.

Fatal Drug Overdose/Poisoning Prevention

• NNPH collaborates with local agencies and participate in community events to reduce the rates of drug-related overdose/poisoning injury and deaths in Washoe County.
• Staff co-chairs the Washoe County Substance Abuse Task Force to increase information sharing across community partners, highlight local SUD prevention efforts, initiatives, programs, and emerging solutions, and advocate for evidence-based public policy reform.
• Staff coordinates with our internal programs and external partner agencies to increase Naloxone and Fentanyl Testing Strip distribution in the community.