My Question Today to Utah State Legislature Health and Human Services Interim Committee 2023 Co-Chairs Michael S. Kennedy and Ken Ivory: Can You Please Help Raise Utah's Injury-Prevention Rating?

 I hope this Injury-Prevention Policies letter I wrote and e-mailed today to Utah Legislature Health and Human Services Interim Committee 2023 Co-Chairs Michael S. Kennedy and Ken Ivory will be helpful: 

----- Forwarded Message -----

From: "John McMillan" <mcmillanj@att.net>

To: "mkennedy@le.utah.gov" <mkennedy@le.utah.gov>, "kivory@le.utah.gov" <kivory@le.utah.gov>, "jadams@le.utah.gov" <jadams@le.utah.gov>, "jsadams@le.utah.gov" <jsadams@le.utah.gov>, "hbalderree@le.utah.gov" <hbalderree@le.utah.gov>, "lescamilla@le.utah.gov" <lescamilla@le.utah.gov>, "evickers@le.utah.gov" <evickers@le.utah.gov>, "nabbott@le.utah.gov" <nabbott@le.utah.gov>, "cacton@le.utah.gov" <cacton@le.utah.gov>, "sbarlow@le.utah.gov" <sbarlow@le.utah.gov>, "jdailey-provost@le.utah.gov" <jdailey-provost@le.utah.gov>, "seliason@le.utah.gov" <seliason@le.utah.gov>, "shollins@le.utah.gov" <shollins@le.utah.gov>, "tjimenez@le.utah.gov" <tjimenez@le.utah.gov>, "mjudkins@le.utah.gov" <mjudkins@le.utah.gov>, "rlesser@le.utah.gov" <rlesser@le.utah.gov>, "aloubet@le.utah.gov" <aloubet@le.utah.gov>, "rspendlove@le.utah.gov" <rspendlove@le.utah.gov>, "rward@le.utah.gov" <rward@le.utah.gov>, "cwatkins@le.utah.gov" <cwatkins@le.utah.gov>, "sanderson@le.utah.gov" <sanderson@le.utah.gov>, "mandrews@le.utah.gov" <mandrews@le.utah.gov>, "ggunn@le.utah.gov" <ggunn@le.utah.gov>, "ahouston@le.utah.gov" <ahouston@le.utah.gov>, "cwilliams@le.utah.gov" <cwilliams@le.utah.gov>, "sberger@le.utah.gov" <sberger@le.utah.gov>, "jbriscoe@le.utah.gov" <jbriscoe@le.utah.gov>, "jplumb@le.utah.gov" <jplumb@le.utah.gov>, "Joe Dougherty (DHHS)" <joedougherty@utah.gov>, "Celesteforutah Info" <info@celesteforutah.com>, "kathleen.riebe@le.utah.gov" <kathleen.riebe@le.utah.gov>, "Angela Romero" <angelaromero@le.utah.gov>, "Internships" <internships@romney.senate.gov>, "Joel_wellum" <joel_wellum@lee.senate.gov>, "mballard@le.utah.gov" <mballard@le.utah.gov>, "UT_Webmanager" <ut_webmanager@hud.gov>, "Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson 2021" <beckiepage@utah.gov>, "Office of Gov. Spencer Cox" <govcomm@utah.gov>, "communications@utahbar.org" <communications@utahbar.org>

Sent: Thu, Nov 16, 2023 at 7:18 PM

Subject: Can you please help raise Utah's injury-prevention rating?

https://www.tfah.org/report-details/the-facts-hurt-a-state-by-state-injury-prevention-policy-report/

November 16, 2023

Dear Utah Legislature Health and Human Services Interim Committee 2023 Co-Chairs Senator Michael S. Kennedy and State Representative Ken Ivory,

 I would like to call your very influential legislative interim  committee's attention to a recent nationwide report (please see online link above) from the widely respected "Trust for America's Health" nonprofit organization. 

That report ranked Utah behind New Mexico, behind Colorado, behind Nevada, behind Washington State, behind Oregon, and behind California  in the overall effectiveness of each of those respective western U.S. states'  "Injury-Prevention Policies".

Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) is a "non-profit, non-partisan organization that promotes optimal health for every person and community and makes the prevention of illness and injury a national priority", according to that group's copyrighted official website.

In our own multi-state western region, the only states ranking lower than Utah in this category were Idaho, Arizona, Wyoming, and Montana. Montana tied for a last-place ranking with Florida, Missouri, and Iowa.

 New York State ranked highest, or Number One  in the nation, in this ranking.

The 10 criteria used in this online rating of each of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia  included:

"Does the state have a primary seat belt law? (34 states and Washington, D.C. meet the indicator and 16 states do not.)

"Does the state require mandatory ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers, even first-time offenders? (21 states meet the indicator and 29 states and Washington, D.C. do not.)

"Does the state require car seats or booster seats for children up to at least the age of 8? (35 states and Washington, D.C. meet the indicator and 15 do not.)...

"Does the state have Graduated Driver Licensing laws – restricting driving for teens starting at 10 pm (at  nighttime)? (11 states meet the indicator and 39 states and Washington, D.C. do not. Note a number of other states have restrictions starting at 11 pm or 12 (a.m.)...

"Does the state require bicycle helmets for all children? (21 states and Washington, D.C. meet the indicator and 29 states do not.)...

"Does the state have a child abuse and neglect victimization rate at or below the national rate of 9.1 per 1,000 children (2013 data)? (25 states meet the indicator and 25 states and Washington, D.C. do not.)

"Does the state have fewer deaths from unintentional falls than the national goal of 7.2 per 100,000 people established by HHS (2011-2013 data)? (13 states meet the indicator and 37 states and Washington, D.C. do not.)

"Does the state require mandatory use of data from the prescription drug monitoring program by at least some healthcare providers? (25 states meet the indicator and 25 states and Washington, D.C. do not.)

"Does the state have laws in place to expand access to, and use of, naloxone, an overdose rescue drug by laypersons? (34 states and D.C. meet the indicator and 16 states do not.)"

I would greatly appreciate  any  reply letter to me from your Interim Committee that any of your members are willing to offer me  about the alarming information that Utah at the time of the above-cited report lagged  behind in this very critical high-priority category of Injury-Prevention Policies.

Sincerely and Best Wishes,

permanent Utahn resident and former Texas DPS full-time employee John Kevin McMillan, 535 South 200 East, Apt. 912, Ninth Floor, Salt Lake City, UT 84111.

Cell phone: (512) 993-7305.

Home phone: (801) 355-0850.

I am the founder and only member of the factually-focused and public-safety-minded, alcohol-free and tobacco-free, non-proseltyzing  "Progressive Prohibitionist Religion". I take pride in being the direct descendent of numerous very  honorable Mormons or LDS members through the  McMillan and Pugh  branches of my family tree here in Utah.