A coalition of 16 health care provider organizations, including the AHA, is urging members of Congress to support increased funding for trauma care systems planning and development in fiscal year 2005.

In a March 26 letter to members of the U.S. House and Senate, the organizations said increased funding is needed to "complement the efforts of the Department of Homeland Security by assuring that all states have the needed resources to develop and implement the trauma care system plans that are such an integral component of our nation's public health infrastructure and the ability to respond to emergencies in our communities."

Despite $3.5 million in federal funding for such programs in each of the past three years, one-half of the states are still without a statewide trauma care system, they noted. "Clearly, we can do better in our efforts to respond to the goals put forth by the 1999 Institute of Medicine report, Reducing the Burden of Injury -- particularly that Congress 'support a greater national commitment to, and support of, trauma care systems at the federal, state and local levels,' " the coalition said.