The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) received the American Public Health Association Injury Control and Emergency Health Services (APHA ICEHS) Section’s 2023 Institutional Public Service Award on Tuesday, Nov. 14 during APHA’s Annual Meeting and Expo in Atlanta.
“NATA was recognized for its dedication, leadership and contributions that have had a significant and long-term impact on the field of injury control and emergency health services among other extraordinary considerations,” said ICEHS Chair Lauren Pierpoint, PhD.
In July, NATA’s Athletic Training and Public Health Task Force, in collaboration with ICEHS, hosted an inaugural webinar series - The Athletic Trainer and Addressing Suicide in Secondary and Collegiate Student Athletes. Part of the association’s ongoing Timely Topics program, which addresses hot-button issues for its members and others, the three-part series included engaging, high-level conversations about the scope of the problem, responding to mental health crises and suicide prevention.
“We are so honored to receive the public service award and know it is a direct reflection of this inter-association effort as we continue to strengthen our relationship with APHA,” said NATA President Kathy Dieringer, EdD, LAT, ATC. “NATA is committed to best practices across the landscape of public health and we look forward to exploring opportunities with APHA on programming, research, education and advocacy to ensure the mental and physical health of athletes or those that are physically active, across the age span. Athletic trainers are often lifelines to those individuals and are critical in steering them to get the care they may need.”
NATA was also recognized for initiatives that promote the health of physically active populations and advocate for the public health advantage of access to ATs; leadership in developing statements on public health issues that affect the physically active; partnership with injury organizations on the creation of educational tools; and its awards and funding opportunities that support scientific knowledge and research.