December 2018 - Newsletter
Program Update

As we wrap up 2018, we would like to extend our gratitude to all of the wonderful stakeholders and community partners working every day to prevent injury and violence across Wyoming.

In October, our program welcomed a new Unintentional Injury Prevention Coordinator, Jeff Grant. He was previously with the city of Cheyenne where he was the Youth Sports Coordinator for the last 10 years. He graduated from the University of Nebraska at Kearney with a B.S. in Recreation Therapy and an M.S. in Exercise Physiology. Jeff has been married to his beautiful wife, Julie, for 26 years and they have been together for 30 years. They have two sons: Kaleb (23) who is currently stationed in South Korea as a Staff Sgt in the USAF, and Kyle (19) who is a sophomore at U.W. and pitches for the baseball team.
 
Jeff's hobbies include making Christmas yard art (he is a Christmas fanatic), woodworking, gardening, and hunting. He is currently one of the leads for Cheyenne Frontier Days on the Indian Committee. Jeff has been teaching indoor cycling for the last 19 years and recently taught his 3,000th class.
 
W e are excited to have Jeff join our team and are looking forward to 2019!

Thanks again for all of your hard work towards creating a safer Wyoming.
Happy Holidays!

Lindsay, Sarah, Melissa, and Jeff
Events
AARP Smart Driver™ Courses
 The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the Wyoming Department of Health, the Wyoming Department of Transportation, and the National Highway Safety Administration have partnered to spread the word on the AARP Smart Driver™ courses. AARP Driver Safety is the nation’s first and largest refresher course designed specifically for drivers age 50 and older. For more than 35 years, this six-hour course has taught over 16 million drivers proven safety strategies so they can continue driving safely for as long as possible. For a complete listing of upcoming trainings in your area or to register, please click here.

Upcoming ASIST Workshops
ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) is a two-day interactive workshop in suicide first aid. ASIST teaches participants to recognize when someone may have thoughts of suicide and how to work with them to create a plan that will support their immediate safety.

WDH will be providing four community ASIST workshops across Wyoming this summer in the following cities:

Evanston, WY: May 29-30
Douglas, WY: June 11-12
Jackson, WY: July 9-10
Cody, WY: July 23-24

For more information on these trainings, please contact Sarah Spafford at sarah.spafford@wyo.gov or 307-777-2923.

Upcoming Matter of Balance Training of Trainers
Matter of Balance is an evidence-based community program designed to reduce the fear of falling and improve activity levels among older adults. The program focuses on practical coping strategies to reduce fear of falling and to diminish the risk of falling. The curriculum includes lectures, group discussions, mutual problem-solving, role-playing activities, exercise training, assertiveness training, and home assignments. Participants learn about the importance of exercise in preventing falls, practice exercises to improve strength, coordination and balance, identify how to conduct a home safety evaluations, and learn to get up and down safely.

WDH will be providing two training of trainers for Matter of Balance.

Jackson, WY: May 20-21
Sheridan, WY: August 26-27

Upcoming Tai Chi for Arthritis/Falls Prevention Trainings and Refresher Courses
Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Prevention is an evidence-based community program developed to reduce the risks of falling among older adults. It emphasizes shifting your weight, improving your posture, and ensuring that one foot remains in firm contact with the ground at all times as you walk and stand. Many people who participate in a Tai Chi program over multiple weeks report increased balance, improved leg strength, flexibility, and a higher level of overall confidence.

WDH will be providing four Tai Chi for Arthritis/Falls Prevention trainings in 2019 and two refresher courses.

Dates and locations to be announced early next year.
Get Involved Locally
Preventing Falls
It is the goal of the Wyoming Injury and Violence Prevention Program to promote, encourage, support, and expand the evidence based falls prevention efforts across the state of Wyoming. Currently, the falls prevention efforts have centered around two CDC evidence based Tai Chi programs. These programs are in full swing across the state with the help and support of local partners and have seen steady community participation. 

For more information on these programs or to find a class being offered in your community, please contact Jeff Grant at jeff.grant@wyo.gov or (307) 777-2424 . In addition, if anyone participating in a Tai Chi program has a story of success or encouragement to share, please refer them to Jeff.
In the News
Just released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics show life expectancy for Americans has dropped, and suicide (the 10th leading cause of death) is a key factor leading to that decrease.


Do have an upcoming event or an article you would like us to share in a future newsletter?

Contact Lindsay Martin at lindsay.martin@wyo.gov or
(307) 777-8034.