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: 

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

Best Practices for Biomedical Research Data Management (National Library of Medicine) – Elaine Martin, DA

Bridges to Health Information for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness (National Library of Medicine) – Elaine Martin, DA

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, PhDand Warren Ferguson, MD

CONtrolling Disease Using Inexpensive IT Hypertension in Diabetes: CONDUIT-HID (AHRQ) – Barry Saver, MD, MPH

Development of Dependence in Young Waterpipe Smokers (Florida International Univ) – Joe DiFranza, MD

Direct Engagement of Stakeholders in Translating CER into Clinical Guidelines (PCORI) – Roger Luckmann, MD, MPH

Farm-to-Health Center Initiative – Addressing Food Insecurity at the Family Health Center of Worcester (UMMS Public Service Award) – Melanie Gnazzo, MD

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

Health Needs and Barriers to Perinatal Care for Women with Mobility Disabilities (NIH) – Monika Mitra, PhD

Health Surveillance of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities (CDC) – Alexandra Bonardi, OTR/L, MHA

High Deductible Health Plans in Massachusetts: Adoption of HDHPs and Patterns of Health Care Utilization and Spending (Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA)) – Wen-Chieh Lin, PhD

Homeless Families Healthcare Project (Oak Foundation) – Linda Weinreb, MD

Identification of Effective Community-based Models for Coordinating Care for Patients with Substance Abuse Disorders (BCBS) – Robin Clark, PhD and Deborah Gurewich, PhD

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

Influence and Evidence: Understanding Consumer Choices in Preventive Care (PCORI) – Barry Saver, MD, MPH

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

Kidsteps II: Promoting School Readiness Through Social-emotional Skill Building in Preschool (US Dept of Education) – Carole Upshur, EdD

Meeting the Needs of Pregnant Women with PTSD in Healthy Start (HRSA-MCBH) – Linda Weinreb, MD and Carole Upshur, EdD

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

National Epidemiological Survey of Women in Primary Care Practices: Substance Use and Mental Health Service Needs and Barriers (NIAAA) –Carole Upshur, EdD and Linda Weinreb, MD

Parent Outreach in Preschool Programs (UMMS Healey Grant) – Melodie Wenz Gross, PhD and Carole Upshur, EdD

Possible Significance of Cholinergic Influence in ADHD (NIDA) – Joe DiFranza, MD

Pregnancy, Childbirth Complications, Outcomes and Inpatient Costs Among Women with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (NIH) – Monika Mitra, PhD

Prevention and Wellness Trust Fund: Worksite Wellness Data Management and Evaluation (MA Department of Public Health) – Wen Chieh Lin, PhD

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

Screening and Treatment for Infectious Diseases (MA Department of Public Health) – Wen Chieh Lin, PhD

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

Substance Abuse, Mental Health, and Health in Homeless Women in Primary Care (NIAAA) –Carole Upshur, EdD and Linda Weinreb, MD

Systematic Review of Oral Health Interventions Aimed to Reduce Health Disparities in Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (AADMD and CDC ) – Alexandra Bonardi, PhD

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

Education:

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

Training:

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

Fostering Effective Integration (Massachusetts Blue Cross Foundation) – Alexander Blount, EdD

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