Community Codesign to Integrate Low-Barrier, Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Mental Health Care into Community-Based Social Services

Dates: Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024

Overview: Partner with Neighborhood House to integrate culturally responsive mental health care into community-based social services. Focused on Somali community members in King County, the project seeks to address gaps in mental health care accessibility and to reduce stigma through community-centered approaches, and to provide evidence for future expansion of culturally and linguistically appropriate services.

Funding: University of Washington Population Health Initiative, $25,000 and University of Washington ALACRITY Center, $50,000

Principal Investigator: Najma Mohamed and Lesley Steinman

Administration on Community Living (ACL) - Fall Prevention Innovation Lab

Dates: Sept 1, 2023 – Aug 31, 2025

Overview: This project involves coordinating with partners at the ACL and National Council on Aging, participating in the Research Advisory Committee with experts in fall prevention research and practice, and facilitating the RFP process for sub-awardees. Responsibilities include providing guidance on sub-award development, assisting with falls prevention taxonomy development, and emphasizing equity and diversity in the application review criteria.

Funding: Administration on Community Living (ACL), $15,000

Principal Investigator: Marlana Kohn

Delivery of Enhance®Fitness Trial (DEFT)

Dates: Sept 30, 2021 – Sept 29, 2025

Overview: Reduce the barriers to the physical exercise people with arthritis need by evaluating the effectiveness of online delivery for Enhance®Fitness — a community-based, group exercise program for older adults. With all the information gathered throughout the project, the research team will work with their partners to create a toolkit for organizations to provide Enhance®Fitness online.

Funding: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), $1.2 million

Principal Investigator: Kushang Patel

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Decision-Making in Alzheimer’s Research (DMAR)

Dates: Jun 1, 2020 – Mar 31, 2025

Overview: Conduct research to keep older adults with dementia involved in decision-making by better understanding their decision-making processes and creating a novel tool to identify preferences related to transitions in care.

Funding: National Institute on Aging, $3.3 million

Principal Investigator: Anne Turner

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PEARLS Equity: Expanding Access to Depression Care for Underserved Older Adults

Dates: Sept 30, 2019 – Sept 29, 2025

Overview: Expand the Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives (PEARLS) with underserved populations by partnering with organizations that are already serving and doing work with these communities. The ultimate goal is to help provide equitable access to depression care. Priority populations for the study include older adults who are experiencing poverty, are community members of color, have limited-English proficiency, and/or live in rural areas.

Funding: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately $1.5 million

Principal Investigator: Mark Snowden

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Enhance®Fitness Dissemination

Dates: Ongoing

Overview: Partner with Sound Generations to disseminate and evaluate Enhance®Fitness, an evidence-based physical activity program for older adults.

Funding: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Principal Investigator: Marlana Kohn

PEARLS Dissemination

Dates: Ongoing

Overview: Collaborate with local, state, and national partners to disseminate the Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives (PEARLS) to improve late-life depression.

Funding: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Principal Investigator: Lesley Steinman

Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA) Dissemination

Dates: Ongoing

Overview: Disseminate the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA), an instrument to measure physical activity among older adults.

Funding: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Principal Investigator: Kristen Hammerback

Care-Coordination for Hereditary Cancer Syndromes (CARE-HCS)

Dates: May 10, 2023 – Feb 29, 2028

Overview: Address roadblocks to cancer genomic testing by revising and evaluating two population management interventions: web resources and personalized outreach. Each intervention will be tested within a vertically integrated health system and a federally qualified health center. This project will help provide clinicians with essential data and tools to address gaps in post-testing quality and patient safety, further advancing preventive genomic medicine.

Funding: National Human Genome Research Institute, $4,430,000

Principal Investigator: Sarah Knerr

Implementation Studio

Dates: Mar 1, 2023 – Feb 29, 2025

Overview: Examine methods to increase cancer screening among limited English-proficient populations by building the capacity of community health workers in community-based organizations to select, adapt, and implement evidence-based interventions for cancer prevention and control.

Funding: Andy Hill CARE Fund, $250,000

Principal Investigator: Linda Ko

Evaluation & Technical Assistance for Washington State’s Cancer Programs

Dates: Jun 30, 2022 – Jun 29, 2025

Overview: Provide evaluation and implementation technical assistance to Washington State Department of Health in support of the Breast, Cervical, and Colon Health Program, along with the Washington Comprehensive Cancer Control Program’s HPV, colorectal cancer, tobacco cessation, and community health worker activities. Support health system partners’ implementation of evidence-based interventions to increase breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening.

Funding: Washington State Department of Health (DOH), $1,546,655

Principal Investigator: Peggy Hannon

Validity & Reliability of the Redesigned National Health Interview Survey

Dates: Sept 30, 2020 – Sept 29, 2025

Overview: Support cancer screening efforts by testing the validity and reliability of cancer screening questions that allow the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to measure the nation’s progress toward screening goals for breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancers. During this study, researchers will evaluate current cancer screening history questions in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview Survey. Because there is a high level of evidence that timely and appropriate cancer screening reduces morbidity and mortality from some cancers, knowing whether national screening goals are being met could help save lives by helping the government redirect resources that would increase screening in promising populations.

Funding: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), $1.8 million

Principal Investigator: Larry Kessler
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Partnering with Latino-Owned Businesses to Advance Health Equity through Cancer Prevention and Control

Dates: Apr 1, 2023 – Dec 31, 2024

Overview: Identify small Latino businesses’ key barriers and facilitators to adopting and implementing cancer prevention and screening interventions using mixed methods, and adapt, and pilot-test Connect to Wellness toolkits with Latino-owned businesses in collaboration with community partners including Latino business owners and employees.

Funding: Fred Hutchinson, University of Washington, and Seattle Children’s Cancer Consortium, $152,331

Principal Investigator: Barbara Baquero

Healthy Worksite Summit

Dates: Ongoing

Overview: Provide training and networking opportunities to promote worksite health in Washington state.

Funding: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Principal Investigator: Kristen Hammerback

QUIT Project

Dates: Dec 1, 2021 – Jul 31, 2025

Overview: Refine and beta-test a nicotine metabolite ratio-informed pharmacologic intervention to optimize design and participation within a tobacco cessation program, 2) Conduct a single-arm pilot trial assessing the acceptability and feasibility of the refined intervention, and 3) Examine factors which impede or facilitate implementation of the intervention within the Alaska Native tribal health system.

Funding: Native American Research Centers for Health Program, National Institutes of Health, $1,399,742

Principal investigator: Jeff Harris

Evaluation of Pierce County Local Impact Network (LIN) Programs

Dates: Jan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2026

Overview: Evaluate the strength of the community Piece County Local Impact Network and oral health intervention projects. The goal is to measure the effect of the interventions and improvements in oral health and oral health equity in Pierce County, Washington. The Pierce County Local Impact Network is a collaborative community effort supported by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department Centers for Excellence and the Arcora Foundation.

Funding: Arcora Foundation, $145,800

Principal Investigators: Marlana Kohn

Technical Support for Older Adult Health Promotion Programs in King County, Washington

Dates: Jul 1, 2021 – Dec 31, 2024

Overview: Support evaluation of evidence-based programs provided by various local organizations in King County, Washington. This project is supported by the King County Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services Levy (VSHSL).

Funding: Sound Generations, $188,500

Principal Investigators: Marlana Kohn

ReOpening Schools Safely and Educating Youth (ROSSEY)

Dates: Apr 15, 2021 – Mar 31, 2025

Overview: Evaluate how effective COVID-19 testing, safety measures, and communications around COVID-19 can be at safely increasing in-person attendance for elementary schools, especially those serving Latino community members. This study may also contribute to vaccination efforts when a COVID-19 vaccine for youth and children is available.

Funding: National Institutes of Health (NIH), $4 million

Principal Investigators: Linda Ko (previously included Helen Chu)
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