The Institute for Public Health Innovation Receives National Network of Public Health Institutes Grant
Grant will help IPHI develop new strategies to improve community health
September 15, 2014—Washington, DC—The Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI) has been awarded a grant by the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to fund a state forum designed to develop practical strategies to help improve the health of the communities the organization serves. The IPHI will use the grant to host a forum during the coming year focused on exploring the roles of community health workers (CHWs) in promoting population health and health equity in Virginia.
The IPHI is one of four grant recipients chosen through a competitive selection process that included a review by NNPHI’s national partner organizations. Other recipients include the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, and the Georgia Health Policy Center.
“The goal of our organization is to promote better health and wellbeing for all people in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia,” explained Mike Royster, MD, MPH, IPHI’s Vice President, who is based in IPHI’s Richmond office. “This grant will help us bring together key stakeholders in Virginia to look at the vital role that community health workers play in improving the public’s health.” Research shows that integrating CHWs into health care services is associated with improved access to primary care, a reduction inhospital readmissions, and a positive return on investment. Forum attendees will also explore how to expand the roles of CHWs in Virginia by focusing on issues such as scope of practice, training, professional support, model development, and sustainability.
About the Institute for Public Health Innovation
Formed in 2009, IPHI is one of 38 member public health institutes within the National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI). Across the country, public health institutes work in conjunction with public and private partners to protect and promote the public’s health by providing a range of functions from training to program development to research and evaluation. IPHI is the official public health institute serving the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, and has quickly grown into an important partner at the state and local levels across the region. To learn more about IPHI, visit our website.