Quick Reference Guide
Creating a Successful Fall Prevention Community Coalition
Determine community readiness for a fall prevention coalition/ partnership.
o Use the "Readiness Assessment".
Identify and recruit fall prevention coalition members.
o Identify a core group of organizations that are ready to form a coalition./ partnership.
o Identify lead organization (s). Use this core group to get started.
o Identify and recruit other organizations from the potential member list.
Develop a preliminary strategic plan for the fall prevention program.
o Develop a preliminary vision, mission and set of aims. Lead (s)/ core group should take the lead on this preliminary draft.
Convene coalition members.
o Plan and hold the first meeting.
o Have each coalition member describe who they are, their interest in fall prevention along with their current goals around fall prevention and services/ programs that they offer.
o Review and revise draft vision, mission and strategic aims with input from members.
o Define the coalition structure, including meeting frequency, location, and structure, membership parameters, decision-making approach, and participation and communication between meetings.
Implement the coalition/partnership and strategic plan.
o Define and implement strategies and a detailed action plan, including resources needed to implement the plan.
o Establish clear roles and responsibilities of coalition partners.
o Define how working together will benefit each coalition partner.
o Establish an effective communication process for coalition partners.
Promote the coalition and its work.
o Make community aware of the coalition and fall prevention programs.
o Promote broad and active participation within the community.
o Use the eight -step guide for conducting a successful campaign for fall prevention. 1
Evaluate coalition and fall prevention programs.
o Establish evaluation procedures and activities as you get started.
o Refine on an ongoing basis.
o Use established evaluation tools to guide your evaluation process. The following resources contain helpful guides. 1, 4, 5
Sustain coalition and fall prevention programs.
· Create a written sustainability plan. Use Appendix K as a template.1
· Incorporate results from your evaluation to make ongoing changes and improvements.
· Secure ongoing funding.
· Celebrate accomplishments and successes.
Resources: The following resources were used to develop this checklist, are available for your reference, and download.
1. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Preventing Falls: How to Develop Community-based Fall Prevention Programs for Older Adults. Atlanta, CA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008.
Available at: www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationSafety/Images/CDC.Guide-a.pdf
2. Cohen L, Baer N, Satterwhite, P. Developing effective coalitions: an eight step guide. In: Wurzbach ME, ed. Community Health Education & Promotion: A guide to Program Design and Evaluation. 2nd ed. Gaithersburg, Md: Aspen Publishers In: 2002: 144-161.
Available at: www.preventioninstitute.org/tools/partnership-tools.html
3. The Collaboration Primer. Chicago, IL: Health Research & Educational Trust, 2003. Available at: www.hret.org/upload/resources/collaboration.primer-pdf
4. Community Tool Box, Available at: http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents
5. Thompson NJ, McClintock HO. Demonstrating Your Program's Worth: A Primer on Evaluation for Programs To Prevent Unintentional Injury. Atlanta: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 1998. Available at: www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/demonstr.htm
1