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West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc.

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West Harlem Environmental Action, Inc. (WE ACT for Environmental Justice)

To provide community education around environmental health issues such as climate and public health, understanding and reducing toxic exposures in the home and the role of environmental stressors on health.

National Institutes of Health

Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers Program (P30 Clinical Trials Optional)

Mental Health

Fellowship Training Program in Child Psychiatry

National Institutes of Health

Full-Scale Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Trials for Mental Health Interventions (R01 - Clinical Trial Required)

CONCRETE SAFARIS INC.

In this Green Exercise Day Expansion, 400 East Harlem school children (up from 200) in the 2nd - 5th grades will grow food, plant trees, & gain environmental health literacy through weekly visits to our gardens at Washington or Jefferson Houses.

Hawaii Department of Health

The Hawaii Department of Health provides grants for environmental health projects including safe drinking water, clean air, waste management, and environmental justice initiatives across the Hawaiian islands.

Georgetown Community Council

Provide civic technology training and host community events to bring a diverse body of contributors to HeyDuwamish.org, a free and open source software project to improve environmental health equity in the Duwamish Valley.

NIEHS - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

ABSTRACT Plastic additives are widely used in consumer products, yet thousands of plastic additives remain uncharacterized for their potential to disrupt endocrine function - posing significant public health risks. This project aims to develop an integrated computational (Aim 1) and experimental (Aim 2) workflow to systematically predict and validate the endocrine-disrupting potential of plastic additives. In Aim 1, we will design novel machine learning models trained on publicly available datasets to predict AR and ERα modulating activity of plastic additives and then used to predict the potential effects of all plastic additives to select the most promising based on novelty and predictive uncertainty for further in vitro and in vivo testing. In Aim 2, we will validate our predictions through a multi-step experimental characterization approach using our in-house AR and ERα assays, followed by dose-response studies in AR- and ERα-responsive cell lines to measure target gene activation and cell proliferation. The top three plastic additives with the strongest in vitro effects will be further evaluated in vivo using mice to assess systemic hormonal changes caused by the plastic additives. This work will have a substantial positive societal impact by establishing a first-in-kind machine learning-assisted predictive toxicological model to pinpoint plastic additives of highest concern to induce adverse health effects as well as generate a large dataset of plastic additive effects on endocrine function. Taken together, this work can serve to provide policy guidance on plastic additives to ban or remove from products, with potentially beneficial health outcomes for billions of consumers.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis

Implementing Zero Suicide in Health Systems

NIEHS - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Abstract. The developing fetus is exceptionally vulnerable to chemicals in the environment. Prenatal exposure to environmental contaminants, such as heavy metals, PFAS compounds and pesticides, impose a substantial societal cost due to the intellectual disability burden to children exposed early in life. Adverse chemical exposures are unavoidable in many cases, due to contaminated environments or the co-exposure that come with foodstuffs and with contaminated drinking water. Therefore, understanding how maternal handling of toxicant exposure, and particularly how the pregnant state may enhance or compromise this function, are a top priority. Mercury (Hg) is among the top environmental contaminants that pose human health risks, ranking third on the U.S. Agency of Toxic Substances Disease Registry priority list of hazardous substances. Methylmercury (MeHg) is the most highly toxic form of mercury and is commonly consumed with fish where it ultimately poses its greatest health risk to the developing fetus. In this proposal we investigate the potential impact of pregnancy on moderating MeHg clearance kinetics in the mother and thus, toxicity for the fetus. We will expand upon exciting and unexpected preliminary evidence that as pregnancy progresses, maternal elimination of MeHg increases, potentially reducing the exposure to the fetus. By optimizing tools that we have previously developed to monitor MeHg metabolism and excretion in non-pregnant adults, we will now evaluate pregnant women, who choose to eat fish routinely, for changes in MeHg elimination over time. With prior knowledge that the gut microbiome is responsible for MeHg metabolism (demethylation) that promotes its faster excretion, we will evaluate the maternal gut microbiome for demethylation activity in parallel. In addition, we will perform metagenomic sequencing to resolve the entirety of species in the gut microbiome to attempt to identify the organisms responsible for faster elimination. Finally, we will compare the mother’s MeHg elimination rate to that the fetus in third trimester. We anticipate the outcomes of this study will determine whether or not: 1) increased MeHg elimination with the progression of pregnancy is generalizable to all mothers, 2) the gut microbiome is a potential mediator of pregnancy-induced MeHg elimination and 3) fetal elimination of MeHg is entirely dictated by the mother or is moderated in part by the fetus itself. We view this as a high-risk, high-reward study, with great potential to reveal generalizable traits of the maternal microbiome that can limit toxicant exposures and furthermore be accessible to modifications that will ultimately reduce toxicity risk to the fetus.

National Institutes of Health

Innovative Mental Health Services Research Not Involving Clinical Trials (R01 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)

National Institutes of Health

Innovative Pilot Mental Health Services Research Not Involving Clinical Trials (R34 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

NIDA - National Institute on Drug Abuse

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a leading public health challenge, with long-term consequences for physical and mental health. In-person peer support groups are well-established as beneficial for recovery. However, as digital platforms increasingly serve as spaces for peer support, little is known about how engagement in online peer support recovery groups is associated with recovery outcomes. Emerging research has yielded conflicting results, with some studies suggesting benefits while others indicating relapse risks. This underscores the need to examine the content of discussions beyond engagement frequency. The present application seeks support for Xiangyu Tao, Ph.D., a postdoctoral associate at the Rutgers Addiction Research Center, gain the necessary training and set up a line of research to examine the role of online peer support recovery communities in SUD recovery. Specifically, she will integrate state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, including Large Language Models (LLMs), with co-production to identify communication patterns and to examine their associations with recovery outcomes. LLMs offer a promising avenue for analyzing large-scale online discussions, yet they require human oversight to address challenges such as contextual misinterpretation and ethical concerns. Co-production, i.e., involving individuals with SUD recovery experience in all research stages, mitigates LLM limitations and ensures that results reflect lived experience. The mentored K99 phase will identify and characterize communication patterns in online recovery groups. Peer support and co-rumination patterns will be classified using LLMs and co-production (Aim 1); latent class analysis (LCA) will identify distinct communication profiles among users engaging in these online groups (Aim 2). During this phase, Dr. Tao will receive mentorship in co-production and AI methodologies, longitudinal data analysis and management, and responsible AI research. The independent R00 phase will build upon this foundation by examining how communication profiles are associated with recovery trajectories using longitudinal survey data from online recovery group participants (Aim 3). This project is highly innovative in its integration of LLMs and co- production to analyze large-scale digital recovery discussions, ensuring that AI-driven insights are both computationally rigorous and socially informed. Findings will enhance understanding of digital peer support for SUD recovery and will inform future mechanistic studies and SUD interventions. By identifying communication patterns associated with recovery trajectories, this project will guide digital health platforms, peer support programs, and clinicians in optimizing online recovery environments to better support individuals with SUD. This project aligns with the NIDA Strategic Plan Cross-Cutting Priority to "Leverage Data Science and Analytics to Understand Real-World Complexity" by utilizing advanced computational methods to analyze digital recovery support interactions. The project is highly significant in bridging advanced AI computational tools with the lived experiences of individuals to produce impactful research to promote substance use recovery.

NIDA - National Institute on Drug Abuse

Project Summary Investigating and Addressing Modifiable Factors in the HIV Care Continuum for People with HIV (PWH) affected by Substance Use and Mental Health Social determinants of health like poverty, and unstable housing, combine synergistically with comorbidities like substance use (SU) + mental health (MH) as a syndemic to disproportionately burden disadvantaged populations people living with HIV (PWH). Substance use and mental health comorbidities are associated HIV Continuum of Care Outcomes (HCC) like delayed entry into care, lower retention in care, reduced ART adherence, poor VL suppression, and higher mortality for PWH. For the US to end the HIV epidemic (EHE) by 2030, the underlying mechanisms of SRD- driven health disparities on viral suppression and HCC outcomes among all PWH experiencing substance use and mental health syndemic must be elucidated and addressed. The lack of suitable comprehensive longitudinal data to examine substance use, and mental health impact on dynamic changes in HCC outcomes limits our ability to end the HIV epidemic. Defining and describing the impact of substance use and mental health on HCC outcomes requires examining the complex interactions of sociocultural, economic, environmental, and geographic contexts influencing these interactions. To address the knowledge gaps on modifiable factors related to the intersection between SU+MH, we propose using real-world multiple linked datasets, including enhanced HIV/AIDS surveillance (e-HARS), Electronic Health Records (EHR), Department of Mental Health data, Department of Alcohol and Other Drugs of Abuse (DAODAS) data, corrections data administrative claims, and other relevant public data sources, to investigate the disparities in SU, MH recognition, treatments, and HCC outcomes using data science. We will use qualitative methods to examine interpersonal and intra-individual factors to identify modifiable factors for moderating the effects of the intersection of SU+MH on viral suppression and the HCC. The specific aims are to: 1. Examine and visualize the longitudinal patterns/trends, heterogeneity, and disparities arising from SU on viral suppression and other HCC outcomes among PWH in SC; 2. Determine the interactive effect of SU+MH on viral suppression and other HCC outcomes; and 3. Understand experiences and impact of SU+MH on viral suppression and other HCC outcomes among PWH population in SC using focus group discussions/in-depth interviews.

NHLBI - National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

PROJECT SUMMARY Sleep irregularity is highly prevalent and linked to downstream adverse cardiometabolic health outcomes, but the upstream drivers of sleep irregularity are not well characterized. Adverse health outcomes associated with irregular sleep timing mirror those linked to shift work, and irregular sleep may represent a driver of circadian misalignment and related disease in the general population. Notably, sleep timing is modifiable and could serve as an inexpensive, non-invasive way to promote health, but further research on environmental factors influencing sleep regularity is required to inform successful interventions. Understanding the environmental drivers and molecular markers of irregular sleep are critical gaps that would aid public health intervention and disease prevention efforts. The recent 2021 NIH Sleep Research Plan highlights research on the effects of environmental exposures on sleep and on epigenetic mechanisms underlying sleep and circadian health as top priorities. Therefore, to address these gaps in knowledge and stated research needs, I propose to apply acquired training in sleep epidemiology, chronobiology, and advanced statistical analysis and epigenetics to: 1) investigate which dimensions of light exposure impact sleep regularity and moderation by factors such as age and sex (K99), 2) develop biological markers of sleep regularity (K99), 3) validate and establish the temporality of resulting findings with prospectively collected data (R00), and 4) expand measurement of light and environmental factors with prospectively collected data (R00). My goal is to establish an independent research program centered around how light and other environmental exposures affect sleep and chronobiology in population health. This proposed study and career development plan logically builds upon my training in environmental health, vision research, and molecular epidemiology, to gain expertise in light data analysis and collection, sleep epidemiology, chronobiology, advanced statistical modeling, and omics integration. With expert mentored guidance provided by Dr. Tamar Sofer, Dr. Susan Redline, and Dr. Frank Scheer, I will establish a unique interdisciplinary research program focusing on the interactions of the light environment and sleep. This award will provide key training in four areas: 1) sleep epidemiology; 2) clinical chronobiology; 3) integration and analysis of high-dimensional light and actigraphy data with omics data; and 4) professional development. This data collected during the R00 phase will also provide a strong foundation for R01 applications. This support provided by this award will allow me to launch a novel independent research program and address inherent gaps in our understanding of the role of naturalistic light exposure on sleep health in the general population.

Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)

KDHE provides grants for community health initiatives including disease prevention, environmental health, maternal and child health, and health equity programs serving Kansas communities.

NIMH - National Institute of Mental Health

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: Chronic loneliness is a pervasive issue in persons with schizophrenia and can lead to downstream consequences of worsening symptoms (e.g., paranoia, cognitive and functional impairments), social withdrawal, and diminished quality of life. Central to these challenges are deficits in social motivation, encompassing both positive motivation (i.e., desire for connection) and negative motivation (i.e., avoidance due to anxiety). High rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms further exacerbate these motivation deficits, hindering social engagement and intensifying chronic loneliness. Despite the critical role of social motivation in shaping social interactions and mental health outcomes, existing research has primarily relied on static, retrospective assessments, which fail to capture the real-time fluctuations and bidirectional relationships between social motivation, mood, social interactions, and loneliness. The proposed F31 project will use ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to examine these dynamic processes as they unfold in daily life. By leveraging data from an NIMH-funded R01 study on loneliness and aging in schizophrenia, this study will evaluate moment-to-moment fluctuations in positive and negative social motivation, and their associations with mood, loneliness, and social interactions. Advanced statistical techniques, including linear mixed effects models and mediation analyses, will identify mechanisms linking social motivation to loneliness and mood over time. These insights aim to advance understanding of how momentary changes in social motivation shape real-world experiences in schizophrenia, with the goal of identifying modifiable targets for intervention. Through the training opportunities afforded by the F31 fellowship, the candidate will gain expertise in EMA methodologies, advanced statistical modeling, and translational research approaches. These skills will support the candidate’s long-term goals of becoming an independent investigator specializing in the social and psychological mechanisms of serious mental illness (SMI) and the development of technology-based interventions. The proposal aligns with the NIMH Strategic Plans by advancing the understanding of dynamic, modifiable processes underlying social motivation deficits in schizophrenia, and informing innovative, targeted intervention strategies.

NICHD - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Project Abstract Adverse mental health conditions are the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth, affecting 1 in 5 birthing people in the US each year. Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals, including lesbian, bisexual, and queer women as well as transgender and gender nonconforming individuals, face increasing social stigma, animosity, and conflicts. Preliminary data suggests that these negative societal factors contribute to significant disparities in mental health outcomes among SGM birthing people. Two modifiable protective factors—access to quality healthcare and social support—are crucial for reducing the risk of pregnancy-related complications and mitigating adverse mental health effects. Unfortunately, SGM individuals often encounter unaffirming and inappropriate care, leading to elevated stress levels, non-compliance, and delays in seeking essential healthcare services. Additionally, the nature of support needed by SGM individuals often differs from that required by heterosexual cisgender women. Therefore, there is a pressing need for a deeper examination of SGM birthing people's experiences with medical care and social support to inform culturally sensitive interventions tailored specifically for SGM people, alongside comprehensive training for healthcare providers to deliver appropriate care. The main objective of Mx. Ezra's project is to elucidate how social support and medical care contribute to the mental health trajectories of SGM birthing people throughout the perinatal period. They will accomplish this objective by conducting a longitudinal mixed methods study to address three aims: (Aim 1) visualize and describe the trajectories of psychological distress and social support across the perinatal period among SGM birthing people; (Aim 2) explore mental health, support, and healthcare experiences of SGM birthing people during the perinatal period using qualitative longitudinal trajectory analyses; and (Aim 3) integrate the findings from Aims 1 and 2 to illuminate how psychological distress, social support, and healthcare experiences coalesce across the perinatal period for SGM birthing people. To accomplish the objective and aims of their proposed research plan, Mx. Ezra will seek out additional training to increase their conceptual, methodological, and dissemination skillsets which will augment their core training in Family Science. Their training plan combines formal coursework in family and maternal and child health, statistics, one-on-one mentoring, conference presentations, and publishing research to prepare them for a career as an independent researcher.

NIEHS - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

SUMMARY Tobacco/cigarette smoke (CS) including environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure leads toxicological effects on the lungs associated with injury and inflammation in airway disorders, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). COPD is the third leading cause of chronic morbidity and mortality, both in the United States and globally. Recently, my research has shown that ETS/tobacco smoke- mediated molecular clock disruption is associated with cellular senescence in lung cells. REV-ERBα is a critical component of the molecular clock, which regulates the expression of core clock genes, pro- inflammatory and pro-senescent mediators. We show that ETS-mediated cellular senescence is mediated by alterations in clock gene nuclear receptor REV-ERB in the lungs. I will leverage the ongoing program with my seminal contributions on ‘molecular clock senescence theme’, and continue the upward trajectory of the same high caliber science in the field of inhalation toxicology for improving the environmental human health. There is a gap in understanding the cellular characterization and interactions of senescence and molecular clock in human lungs over the lifespan, particularly in non-smokers, smokers, and COPD with and without smokers. Further, the role of molecular clock REV-ERBα dysfunction in chronic ETS-mediated toxicological lung effects remains unknown. In addition, there is a critical gap on restoration of molecular clock and cellular senescence by using targeted agonists (REV-ERBα) and/or senolytics/senomorphics (senescence inhibitors) in lung cells exposed to ETS. We hypothesize that ETS disrupts molecular clock function, specifically REV- ERBα abundance, resulting in cellular senescence via disruption of nuclear co-repressor complex (NCoR/Sin3A-HDACs) in pulmonary toxicity. Using a combination of cellular, molecular, and toxicological approaches, I propose the three overarching long-term goals on this R35 RIVER application to advance the field of inhalation toxicology and lung molecular clock-inflammaging in chronic environmental lung diseases. 1: Characterization of human molecular clock and lung cellular senescence over the lifespan in COPD (with and without smokers), 2: Determine the role of lung molecular clock REV-ERB in cellular senescence programming via nuclear corepressor complex and airway disease responses, and 3) Attenuation of REV- ERB and senescence and SASP/secretome by pharmacological agents/agonists in lung cells and EpiAirway 3D cells. This will characterize cellular molecular clock and senescent cells at an unprecedented spatial resolution in lungs. This transformative research with a compelling and broad vision will advance the field of environmental lung science, collaborations, and training. The outcome of this proposal will unravel the mechanisms, characterization, and programming of lung molecular clock and senescence based on cellular phenotypes and molecular signatures in the pathogenesis of airways disorder. In turn, this will have a great translational potential for the development of pharmacological therapies in environmental pulmonary diseases.

NIDA - National Institute on Drug Abuse

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The perinatal period is marked by heightened vulnerability to mental health challenges, with perinatal substance use (PSU) and perinatal depression (PD) presenting significant concerns for maternal well-being and child development. PSU and PD often co-occur and pose bidirectional risks that exacerbate caregiving challenges. Despite evidence of their influence and overlap, research has yet to investigate how the interplay between PSU and PD impacts infant hippocampal development. Prior work in this area has been limited by assuming uniform impacts across the perinatal period and neglecting to evaluate these dynamic and bidirectional risk factors within the same model. Moreover, insights into how characteristics of PSU and PD (e.g., intensity, comorbidity, chronicity) may modify risk for development remains highly debated. To address these gaps, this study will be the first to model the longitudinal interplay between PSU, PD, and their combined impact on infant brain development. We hypothesize that utilizing person-centered, longitudinal, data-driven trajectories, rather than relying on static global reference values or clinical cutoffs, will provide more clinically valuable metrics for intervention, fostering intergenerational benefits. This study aims to (1) Characterize the interplay between PSU and PD and their reciprocal unfolding over the perinatal period. Specifically, testing whether within- or between-subjects models better capture the bidirectional interplay and change between PSU and PD across time to identify key windows and metrics of risk. (2a) Examine the impact of PSU/PD comorbidity on infant hippocampal volume and growth and test whether within- or between-subjects models better capture risk for offspring neurodevelopment. (2b) Compare models informed by developmental theory (Mismatch vs. Cumulative Stress vs. Mood Entropy) to evaluate which best characterizes the impact of PSU/PD on neurodevelopment in the first year of life. This research is responsive to the goals of NIDA’s 2022-2026 strategic plan to leverage data science to understand real-world complexity—including how comorbid mental health conditions and risk and protective factors interact to influence drug-related outcomes. Findings have the potential to refine screening practices, optimizing their timing and content to identify at-risk individuals more effectively. This work could ultimately enhance the capacity of healthcare systems to deliver timely and targeted interventions, improving health outcomes for families impacted by PSU and PD and reducing intergenerational consequences.

Department of Health and Human Services

MATERNAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOMEVISITING GRANT PROGRAM - ADDRESS: 4601 W GUADALUPE ST, AUSTIN, TX 78751-3146 PROJECT DIRECTOR NAME: CLAIRE HALL CONTACT PHONE NUMBER: 512-466-5846 EMAIL ADDRESS: CLAIRE.HALL01@HHS.TEXAS.GOV WEBSITE ADDRESS: HTTPS://FSS.HHS.TEXAS.GOV/ PROGRAM FUNDS REQUESTED IN THE APPLICATION: $30,146,654 ($25,676,711 FEDERAL BASE; $4,469,943 FEDERAL MATCHING FUNDS) ANNOTATION: THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, DIVISION OF FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES (FSS) PROPOSES TO CONTINUE LEVERAGING MATERNAL, INFANT, AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITING (MIECHV) AND STATE GENERAL REVENUE FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXAS HOME VISITING (THV), A COMPREHENSIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEMS APPROACH TO HOME VISITING IN COMMUNITIES WITH DEMONSTRATED NEED. PROBLEM: AS DESCRIBED IN THE MIECHV NEEDS ASSESSMENT AMENDED IN MARCH 2025, AT-RISK COMMUNITIES FACE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF LOW-INCOME FAMILIES, BIRTH RISK, AND MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE. ADDITIONAL FACTORS ESTABLISHING RISK INCLUDE DECLINING CHILD-CARE ENROLLMENT FOR THREE AND FOUR-YEAR-OLDS AND A LACK OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS INCLUDING HOME VISITING. PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THE TEXAS MIECHV PROJECT IS TO SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE HOME VISITING PROGRAMS AND EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEMS IN TEXAS COMMUNITIES WITH DEMONSTRATED NEED TO STRENGTHEN FAMILIES AND IMPROVE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH OUTCOMES. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: THE GOALS OF THIS GRANT ARE TO: 1) PROVIDE EFFECTIVE, EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITING SERVICES IN TARGETED, AT-RISK COMMUNITIES THAT MEET LOCAL NEEDS AND ACHIEVE THE HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION PERFORMANCE MEASURES REGARDING: MATERNAL AND NEWBORN HEALTH, CHILD MALTREATMENT AND INJURY PREVENTION, SCHOOL READINESS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SCREENING, FAMILY SELF-SUFFICIENCY, AND COORDINATED REFERRALS; 2) DEVELOP EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEMS, IMPROVE COORDINATION, FACILITATE ACCESS, AND PROMOTE COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND FAMILIES; 3) PROVIDE TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SUPPORT TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF HOME VISITING SERVICES; AND 4) PROVIDE DATA COLLECTION SUPPORT AND EVALUATION TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF HOME VISITING. APPROACH: FUNDS FROM THIS GRANT SUPPORT 35 LOCAL IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES WITH 19 SUBGRANTEES SERVING 47 COUNTIES IDENTIFIED AT HIGHEST RISK FOR POOR MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH OUTCOMES IN THE TEXAS MIECHV NEEDS ASSESSMENT. ALL COMMUNITIES WERE IDENTIFIED THROUGH A COMBINATION OF RISK MODELING AND QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATIONS THAT IDENTIFIED HIGH-RISK COUNTIES IN THE STATE AS PRIORITIES FOR HOME VISITING PROGRAMS. FSS USES A REQUEST FOR APPLICATION (RFA) PROCESS TO OFFER GRANTS TO LIAS TO SERVE COMMUNITIES IDENTIFIED IN THE STATEWIDE NEEDS ASSESSMENT. APPLICANTS SELECT PROGRAM MODELS THAT MEET HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES CRITERIA FOR EVIDENCE OF EFFECTIVENESS AS REQUIRED BY HRSA. APPLICANTS MAY SELECT MULTIPLE PROGRAM MODELS AS WELL AS USE A COMBINATION OF PROGRAM MODELS WITH FAMILIES, AVOIDING CONCURRENT DUAL ENROLLMENT, TO SUPPORT A CONTINUUM OF HOME VISITING SERVICES THAT MEETS FAMILIES’ SPECIFIC NEEDS. TEXAS MIECHV LOCAL IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES CURRENTLY IMPLEMENT ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING EIGHT EVIDENCE-BASED MODELS BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY: FAMILY CHECK-UP OR CHILDREN, HEALTHY FAMILIES AMERICA, HOME INSTRUCTION FOR PARENTS OF PRESCHOOL YOUNGSTERS, NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP, PARENTS AS TEACHERS, PLAY AND LEARNING STRATEGIES, PROMOTING FIRST RELATIONSHIPS, AND SAFECARE AUGMENTED. THE TEXAS MIECHV PROGRAM ANTICIPATES SERVING 7,120 FAMILIES IN FISCAL YEAR 2026 AND TO CONTINUE SERVING 7,120 FAMILIES IN FISCAL YEAR 2027, DEPENDENT ON CONTINUITY OF SERVICE PROVISION. COMMUNITIES WILL ALSO BUILD EARLY CHILDHOOD PARTNERSHIPS THAT SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEMS AND REFERRAL PATHWAYS. FSS PLANS TO USE INCREASED FUNDING FROM THE MIECHV MATCH OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND MIECHV HOME VISITING IN EXISTING COMMUNITIES AND SUPPORT QUALITY OF HOME VISITING THROUGH TRAINING AND ENHANCEMENTS.

Department of Health and Human Services

MATERNAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOMEVISITING GRANT PROGRAM - ADDRESS: 5666 TAFUNA RD. TAFUNA, AMERICAN SAMOA 96799 PROJECT DIRECTOR:TINA IOANE TELEPHONE NUMBER: OFFICE: (684) 699-3905; CELLPHONE (684) 254-3426 EMAIL ADDRESS:TINA.IOANE@DOH.AS PURPOSE: IN SUPPORTING OF THIS FY2024 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE MIECHV BASE GRANT AWARD IS TO IMPROVE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT, AND FAMILY WELL-BEING OF PREGNANT MOTHERS AND PARENTS WITH CHILDREN UP TO KINDERGARTEN ENTRY—ESPECIALLY THOSE LIVING IN COMMUNITIES IDENTIFIED AS AT RISK FOR POOR MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH OUTCOMES—BY SUPPORTING THE DELIVERY OF COORDINATED AND COMPREHENSIVE HIGH QUALITY AND VOLUNTARY EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITING SERVICES TO ELIGIBLE FAMILIES. AS REQUESTED $1,058,860.00 IN THE BASE FUNDS AND $437,750.00 IN MATCHING FUNDS USING THE WAIVER FOR TERRITORIES. GOAL: PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY AND COMPREHENSIVE HOME VISITING SERVICES TO WOMEN, THEIR INFANTS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE LOW INCOME AND RESIDE IN HIGH-RISK COMMUNITIES; DEVELOP A SYSTEM OF ISLAND WIDE COORDINATED HOME VISITING SERVICES THAT BEFITS LONG TERM AND UNDUPLICATED OUTCOMES OF HOME VISITING SERVICES AND LOCALLY COORDINATED REFERRALS; COORDINATE NECESSARY SERVICES OUTSIDE OF HOME VISITING PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF ENROLLED FAMILIES, AND DELIVERED SERVICES BY A COMPETENT TRAINED HOME VISITING WORKFORCE.THE AS MIECHV PLAN TO FOCUS ON IMPROVEMENT OF PERFORMANCE FOR THE MIECHV FAMILIES, ENSURING RESOURCES FOR THE NEEDS OF THE TARGET POPULATION. AS MIECHV CONTINUES TO UTILIZE THE HEALTHY FAMILIES AMERICA (HFA) MODEL TO PROVIDE QUALITY SERVICES FOR PREGNANT MOTHERS, CHILDREN, AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE AS MIECHV PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE SOME OF THE PLANS IN THE WORK PLAN FROM FY 2023. IT HAS IMPROVED THE QUALITY OF SERVICES FOR THE AT-RISK COMMUNITIES THUS FAR. OBJECTIVES: 1) IDENTIFY AND PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE HOME VISITING SERVICES TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR ELIGIBLE FAMILIES LIVING IN-AT RISK COMMUNITIES; 2) STRENGTHEN AND IMPROVE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT ADDRESS PREVENTIVE AND PRIMARY CARE SERVICES FOR PREGNANT MOTHERS, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN UNDER THE TITLE V OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT; 3) IMPROVE COORDINATION OF SERVICES IN AT-RISK COMMUNITIES. 4) CONTINUE TO PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL PARTNERS REGARDING REFERRAL COORDINATION AND EXPANSION OF HOME VISITING SERVICES TO THE OUTER ISLAND; 5) CONTINUE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF REFERRALS TO ADDITIONAL SERVICES WHEN A PARTICIPANT NEED IS IDENTIFIED FROM UTILIZING THE SCREENING TOOLS FOR DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY SERVICES, DEPRESSION, TOBACCO CESSATION, SUBSTANCE USE, MENTAL HEALTHCARE, INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, OR CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT; 6) CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY AND PROVIDE TRAINING AND SERVICES RELEVANT TO HIGH QUALITY HOME VISITING AND EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES TO CONTINUE OBTAIN A COMPETENT QUALIFIED WORKFORCE FOR HIGH QUALITY SERVICE DELIVERY WHILE ENCOURAGING AND EMPOWERING SELF-DEVELOPMENT. BY SEPTEMBER 29, 2026- 1). AS WILL INCREASE ENROLLMENT OF EXPECTANT MOTHERS, 1ST TRIMESTER IN THE PROGRAM FROM 45% TO 50%. 2). AS WILL IMPROVE FAMILY RETENTION FOR ENROLLED FAMILIES UP TO 5%. 3). AS MIECHV IN MANU’A WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM UP TO 3 FAMILIES. 4).AS WILL IMPROVE COORDINATION OF TRANSITION AND CONTINUE SERVING CHILDREN 5 YEARS UP TO 7 CHILDREN 5 YEARS. METHODOLOGY: THE FUNDING WILL PROVIDE THE AIGA MANUIA PROGRAM OF THE AMERICAN SAMOA MIECHV HOME VISITING SERVICES TO 225 FAMILIES FOR BOTH YEARS OF THE PROJECT PERIOD IN 15 COUNTIES OF AMERICAN SAMOA ARCHIPELAGO AND ITS OUTER ISLANDS. 1. THE GRANTEE-RECIPIENT IMPLEMENTS HEALTHY FAMILIES AMERICA (HFA), AN EVIDENCED-BASED MODEL FOR FIDELITY TO IMPROVE HOME VISITING SERVICE DELIVERY AND PERFORMANCE. 2. BASED ON THE APPROVED FY2022 NEEDS ASSESSMENT, THE GRANTEE-RECIPIENT PROGRAM WILL SERVED TEN COUNTIES IN THE MAIN ISLAND KNOWN AS TUTUILA AND THE FIVE COUNTIES IN THE ISLAND OF MANU’A OF AS.

Department of Health and Human Services

MATERNAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOMEVISITING GRANT PROGRAM - ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 70184 SAN JUAN, PR 00936-8184 PROJECT DIRECTOR NAME: MANUEL I. VARGAS BERNAL, MD, MPH. CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS: 787-765-2929 X. 4583/4550 FAX: 787-294-0746 EMAIL ADDRESS: MIVARGAS@SALUD.PR.GOV WEBSITE: WWW.SALUD.PR.GOV FUNDS: MIECHV X10 ($1,712,878.00) & MATCHING FUNDS ($725,892.00) ANNOTATION: THE PUERTO RICO MATERNAL, INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HOME VISITING PROGRAM (PR-MIECHVP), LOCALLY KNOWN AS FAMILIAS SALUDABLES PUERTO RICO (FSPR), IS A HOME VISITING PROGRAM FOR HIGH-RISK PREGNANT WOMEN UNTIL CHILD IS 36 MONTHS OLD. THE MAIN GOAL IS TO CONTINUE IMPROVING THE HOME-VISITING SERVICES AVAILABLE IN PUERTO RICO, STRENGTHENING HEALTHY PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, SOCIAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT DURING EARLY CHILDHOOD. PARTICIPANTS MAY LEARN ABOUT BABY’S DEVELOPMENT AND MILESTONES, ACTIVITIES ACCORDING TO BABY’S AGE, INFANT ACTIVITIES PROMOTING BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, FAMILY PLANNING, SETTING GOALS, BEING MORE AUTONOMOUS, AND REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES BASED ON THEIR NEEDS. PROBLEM: FSPR ADDRESSES MATERNAL AND EARLY CHILDHOOD NEEDS OF FAMILIES IN MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH HIGH INCIDENCE OF HEALTH, SOCIOEMOTIONAL, AND SOCIOECONOMIC RISK FACTORS. PURPOSE: THE PROGRAM PURPOSE IS TO OFFER SERVICES TO HIGH-RISK PREGNANT WOMEN USING STRENGTH BASED, FAMILY-CENTERED PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIP-BASED INTERACTIONS. GOALS: (1) IMPROVE HEALTH OF CHILDREN AND WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE (2) REDUCE INTENTIONAL AND UNINTENTIONAL INJURIES (3) IMPROVE SCHOOL READINESS AND ACHIEVEMENT (4) REDUCE RATES OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (5) INCREASE FAMILY ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY (6) IMPROVE COORDINATION AND REFERRALS TO OTHER COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND SUPPORT. MAIN OBJECTIVES: (1) BY 09/29/26, INCREASE/MAINTAIN AT 75% RATE OF ENROLLED WOMEN HAVING POST-PARTUM CHECK UP BY MEDICAL PROVIDER WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF DELIVERING (2) BY 09/29/26, INCREASE/MAINTAIN AT 60% RATE OF PRIMARY CAREGIVERS WHOSE CAREGIVER-CHILD INTERACTION IS OBSERVED (3) BY 09/29/26, INCREASE/MAINTAIN AT 70% THE RATE OF CHILDREN ENROLLED IN HOME VISITING WITH A FAMILY MEMBER WHO REPORTED THAT DURING A TYPICAL WEEK S/HE READ, TOLD STORIES AND/OR SANG SONGS WITH THEIR CHILD DAILY, EVERY DAY (4) BY 09/29/26, INCREASE/MAINTAIN AT 80% RATE OF ENROLLED WOMEN SCREENED FOR INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE DURING FI RST 6 MONTHS OF ENROLLMENT (5) BY 09/29/26, INCREASE/MAINTAIN AT 60% RATE OF ENROLLED PRIMARY CAREGIVERS MAINTAINING CONTINUOUS SCHOOL ENROLLMENT OR COMPLETED HIGH SCHOOL OR EQUIVALENT (6) BY 09/29/26, INCREASE OR MAINTAIN AT 50% THE RATE OF ENROLLED FAMILIES REFERRED TO AVAILABLE THERAPEUTIC SERVICES FOR DEPRESSION AND GENERAL MENTAL HEALTH AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHEN NEED IS IDENTIFIED. APPROACH: FSPR WILL IMPLEMENT THE EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITING MODEL HEALTHY FAMILIES AMERICA WITH GROWING GREAT KIDS CURRICULUM TO PREGNANT AND POST-PARTUM WOMEN, RESIDENTS OF OROCOVIS, BARRANQUITAS, MAUNABO, PATILLAS, ARROYO, JAYUYA, ADJUNTAS, LARES, QUEBRADILLAS, SANTA ISABEL, SALINAS, TOA ALTA, AND NARANJITO (COMMUNITIES IDENTIFIED IN THE 2020 NEEDS ASSESSMENT). PROJECTED PROGRAM CASELOAD WILL BE 242 (WITH 22 FSSS 37.5 FTE) FAMILIES ON FY 2024-2026 FOR THE 13 MUNICIPALITIES USING THE HFA CASELOAD POLICY.