AHW Blog

Funding News: AHW Awards $2.7 Million to Population & Community Health Studies in Wisconsin

Written by AHW Endowment | Sep 29, 2020 1:00:00 PM

The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment (AHW) has announced the award of $2.7 million to seven projects focused on improving the health of Wisconsin residents by building the evidence needed to inform policies and practices to address gaps and create change. 

“Through these investments, we are proud to support the work to generate high-quality, relevant research that can inform better health-related policies and practices in Wisconsin,” said Dr. Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, director of the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment and senior associate dean at the Medical College of Wisconsin. “These projects will develop data needed to help improve policies and programs related to the mental health of Latino youth, trauma, military suicides, smoking, indoor air quality, and lead exposure.” 

AHW, a statewide health philanthropy, was established by the Medical College of Wisconsin to serve as a resource to those working to advance health research, develop the health care and public health workforce, and support community health initiatives across the state. Through its Population & Community Health Studies pathway, AHW is helping to create the data and evidence necessary to inform effective programs, policies, and practices that shape health outcomes in Wisconsin. 

The following funded projects will begin their work in October 2020: 

Impacts of Nature in Proactive and Responsive Behavioral Health Treatment of Urban Latino Youth ($400,000)
Community Partner: Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers (SSCHC)
MCW Academic Partner: Kirsten Beyer, PhD, MPH, MS, Institute for Health and Equity
Evaluating nature-based behavioral health treatments on the mental health outcomes of urban, economically disadvantaged Latino youth in Milwaukee

Improving Mental Health of Milwaukee’s Latinx Population Through Increased Neighborhood Engagement ($350,715)
Community Partner: CORE El Centro
MCW Academic Partner: Melissa DeNomie, MS, Family Medicine
Improving the mental health of Spanish-speaking residents living in Milwaukee Police District Two by mobilizing a multisector partnership of law enforcement, promotoras (health promoters), public health professionals and community organizations.

Integrating Trauma Screening and SBIRT to Enhance W-2 Case Management Services ($400,000)
Community Partner: Workforce Resource, Inc.
MCW Academic Partner: Leslie Ruffalo, PhD, MS, Family Medicine
Helping parents and pregnant women who are low income obtain and retain employment in 16 Wisconsin counties.

Remembering the Lost: How Investigation of Military Suicides can Improve Prevention Resources ($399,771)
Community Partner: Mental Health America of Wisconsin (MHA)
MCW Academic Partner: Sara Kohlbeck, MPH, Emergency Medicine
Understanding military-involved suicides to improve prevention in Wisconsin.

Best Practices for Smoking Cessation for Milwaukee Public Housing Residents ($393,627)
MCW Principal Investigator:  Jeffrey Engelmann, PhD, Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Determining opportunities to help public housing residents in Milwaukee successfully quit smoking and improve health.

Clean Air Interventions for Milwaukee Child Cares ($400,000)
MCW Principal Investigator:  Joshua Steinberg, MD, Pediatrics
Co-Investigator: Ke Yan, PhD, Pediatrics; Erin Lee, Pediatrics; John Routes, MD, Pediatrics
Understanding the impact of poor indoor air quality on children in child care centers in Milwaukee County.

Clinical and Community Solutions to Lead-Free Children ($400,000)
MCW Principal Investigator:  David Nelson, PhD, MS, Family Medicine
Co-Investigator: John Meurer, MD, MBA, Institute for Health and Equity
Identifying children with elevated blood lead levels in Milwaukee to mitigate ongoing lead exposures and decrease lead poisoning.