Community Health Connections (formerly Health Extension Program)

Vision and Mission

Launched in early 2008, Community Health Connections represents a key community engagement component of ICTR-CAP. Based on the principle of the Wisconsin Idea, Community Health Connections's vision is to be a leader in forging new models of two-way communication, knowledge development and exchange for translational research. Specifically, Community Health Connections's mission is to build and sustain a platform to promote ideas and projects that will influence the Type 2 translational and community-based research being done at the UW-Madison and across the state. Community Health Connections works to encourage ongoing conversations between academic researchers and community-based organizations about researchable ideas.

Collaborative and Statewide Approach

Community Health Connections's central staff have appointments in the UW Department of Family Medicine, which has campuses, programs, faculty and staff across the state of Wisconsin.

Community Health Connections is building its community-based translational research platform through collaboration with the regional organizations of the Wisconsin Area Health Education Center (AHEC) system. Through cooperative agreements, Community Health Connections employs Regional Research Coordinators who are physically located in regional AHEC offices.

A Platform for Two-Way Communication and Research "Match-making"

Community Health Connections is working to enhance the statewide portfolio of funded Type 2 translational and community-based research projects through a number of capacity building efforts.

• Regional Research Councils. One model Community Health Connections uses to promote the two-way process of communication and exchange about translational and community-based research is through the work of Regional Research Councils. Council membership is drawn from the following types of organizations: health systems and community-based practices; academic institutions; public health agencies; AHECs; UW Extension; nonprofit agencies; businesses; school systems; community-based organizations representing underserved populations; and local government.


• Regional Research Coordinators facilitate and support the work of the Councils. In addition, Coordinators conduct conversations with researchers and community-based organizations about translational research needs, resources and potential opportunities. In some areas of the state, rather than - or in addition to - the establishment of Research Councils, Community Health Connections's Coordinators are available to work with existing local research resources, community-based organizations or coalitions of local organizations, to identify and promote locally determined translational research priorities and opportunities for community-engaged research.


• Research Match-making and Facilitation of Research Ideas and Projects. Community Health Connections uses the feedback obtained from Councils and conversations with local researchers and community-based groups to discover and encourage opportunities for "research match-making" between community-based organizations and researchers. Community Health Connections central staff and coordinators also provide consultation and facilitation services to support the development of specific research ideas and projects.


• Community Health Research Forums. Community Health Connections sponsors research forums to provide opportunities for researchers to highlight their work and to make contact with other potential collaborators and community-base organizations about possible research "matches."

Other Capacity-building Services

Community Health Connections works to enhance, support and sustain the statewide capacity for translational and community-based research by a number of other means. Help In Accessing Available Research Resources. Community Health Connections can assist researchers and community-based organizations in accessing various types of resources available through ICTR-CAP and the UW School of Medicine and Public Health.

• ICTR-CAP Research Resources. ICTR-CAP offers a basic level of consultation, available free of charge, to encourage and facilitate formulation of research ideas.


• ICTR-CAP Education/Professional Development Opportunities. Community Health Connections staff work with the Educational component of ICTR-CAP to identify and communicate professional development opportunities related to a variety of research topics, including: grant-writing; qualitative research; and community-based participatory research.


• Access to UW Library Services. Community Health Connections also provides information on the outreach library and distance learning resources available through the UW Ebling Library and the Innovations in Medical Education (IME) Video Library.

Dissemination and Communication. Community Health Connections is working to develop and refine its Internet presence for:

• Dissemination of research results from translational and community-based projects being conducted across the state; and


• Social networking technologies to strengthen and support opportunities for communication and collaboration.

Faculty and Staff

Community Health Connections's central and regional staff are available to answer questions about Community Health Connections activities and ICTR-CAP resources, and to strategize about ideas for potential Type 2 translational and/or community-based research collaborations.

John J. Frey
Director, Community Engagement, UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW School of Medicine and Public Health


• Nancy Cross Dunham
  Research Director, Community Health Connections, UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
  Associate Scientist, Department of Family Medicine, UW School of Medicine and Public Health
  


• Terry Cohn
  Research Specialist, Community Health Connections, UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
  Department of Family Medicine, UW School of Medicine and Public Health
  

Regional Research Coordinators

• Gail Kell
  Regional Research Coordinator, Northern Region
  Community Health Connections, UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
  Northern Wisconsin Area Health Education Center
  


• Renee Koenig
  Regional Research Coordinator, Northeast Region
  Community Health Connections, UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
  Northeastern Wisconsin Area Health Education Center
  


• JoAnne Pearsall
  Regional Research Coordinator, Milwaukee Region
  Community Health Connections, UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research
  Milwaukee Area Health Education Center