Research Initiatives

Current Research Grants

The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health has been awarded a number of grants from local, state and national foundations and state and funding agencies.  Many of these grants focus on clinical or community-based research, though several are in the fields of training and medical education. Listed (alphabetically by title) are many of the current (and recent) grants awarded to departmental faculty in research, training and education.

Current/Recent Grants

The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health has been awarded a number of grants from local, state and national foundations and funding agencies.  Many of these grants focus on clinical or community-based research, though several are in the fields of training and medical education.  Listed below (alphabetically by title) are many of the current (and recent) grants awarded to departmental faculty in research, training and education.

Research: 

Sexually Exploited Women in Worcester (UMMS Remillard Community Service Fund award) – Jennifer Bradford, MD, MPH

A Longitudinal Study of Health Care Utilization Among Pregnant and Postpartum Homeless Women and Their Infants (HRSA) – Robin Clark, PhD and Linda Weinreb, MD

Assessing the Collaborative Care Environment in Primary Care (University of Vermont/NIH) – Dan Mullin, PsyD, MPH

Beyond Mentoring: Integrating Patient Care, Education, and Research Into a Program for Homeless Teen Mothers in Worcester (Remillard Foundation) – Judy Savageau, MPH

Care Coordination for Patients who are Opioid Dependent (MA Department of Public Health) – Dan Mullin, PsyD, MPH

Closing the Loop in Child Tuberculosis Contact Management: Predictors and Completion of Therapy Outcomes in Western Kenya (UMMS Global Health funding) – Daria Szkwarko, DO

Community Health Workers Using Patient Stories to Support Hypertension Management (NIMHD) – Lee Hargraves, PhD and Warren Ferguson, MD

Controlling and Stopping Cascades Leading to Adverse Drug Effects Study in Alzheimer's Disease (CASCADES-AD) (NIH / NIA) – Jerry Gurwitz, MD and Sonal Singh, MD, MPH

From the First Tooth (Dentaquest) – Hugh Silk, MD, MPH

Implementation Science – Advancing Evidence-based Practices for Prison Inmates (AHRQ and NIDA) – Warren Ferguson, MD

Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care for Co-Morbid Behavioral and Medical Problems (PCORI/Univ of VT) – Dan Mullin, PsyD, MPH

Mindfulness-Centered Pregnancy Initiative at the Family Health Center Prenatal Care Program (UMMS Public Service Award) – Jennifer Moffitt

Opioid Overdoses Among High Risk MassHealth Members: Healthcare Costs, Service Utilization, and Risk Factor Analysis (MassHealth funded) – Judy Savageau, MPH

Primary Prevention for Resettled Refugees from Burma (Worcester County Prevention Research Center) – Suzanne Cashman, ScD and Heather-Lyn Haley, PhD

Rapid Access to Perinatal Psychiatric Care in Depression Program (CDC) – Linda Weinreb, MD

Smiles for Life (Dentaquest) – Hugh Silk, MD, MPH

The Impact of Physician Non-English Language Proficiency Level on Cancer Care (NCI) – Warren Ferguson, MD

Understanding and Addressing the Legal Needs of Refugees (UMMS – CTSA) – Heather Lyn Haley, PhD

Worcester, A Baby Box City: Interdisciplinary Lessons in Community Engagement (Remillard Community Service Award) – Tasmina Hydery, Pharm D, Sara Shields, MD and Cathy Violette

Worcester Healthy Babies Collaborative (March of Dimes) – Heather Lyn Halley, PhD

Education:

Building Capacity to Ensure Community Immunity: Supporting the Worcester Public Schools Flu Clinics (Remillard Foundation) – Heather-Lyn Haley, PhD

Dissemination and Implementation of Evidenced-based Treatments for Substance Abuse Disorders and HIV for Justice-involved Populations (NIDA – conference grant) – Warren Ferguson, MD

Training:

AHEC: Area Health Education Center (HRSA) – Linda Cragin, MS

Center for Evaluating Integration of Oral Health into Primary Care Training (Harvard Medical School / HRSA) – Hugh Silk, MD, MPH

Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care for Comorbid Behavior and Medical Problems (Univ of VT/PCORI) – Dan Mullin, PsyD, MPH

Opioid Use Disorders (Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation) – Dan Mullin, PsyD, MPH

The Rural Health Scholars Program (UMMS - Public Service Endowment Grant) – Suzanne Cashman, ScD and Steve Martin, MD