David CordóvaMeghan M. O’NeilStephanie A. Ettinger de CubaMark NagasawaCristina MedellinBeth Glover Reed
The 2023 extramural research funding program supports research on how human services program and policy design, implementation, and practice create, perpetuate, and dismantle inequities in the following three programmatic areas: (1) Integrating substance use services and human services programs; (2) Facilitating access to multiple programs; and (3) Social-emotional development and mental health.
Funded Proposals
Targeting a Public Web-Based Platform to Resolve Child Support Issues for Uninsured and Medicaid Recipients In Substance Use Treatment Services
David Cordóva, School of Social Work, University of Michigan Meghan O’Neil, Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University
Implications of Co-Enrollment for Safety Net Programs Among Families with Young Children In A Post-Public Health Emergency World: A Multistate Analysis and Real-Time Case Study
Mixed Methods, Multiple Case Study of New York State’s Implementation of the Pyramid Model Through Regional Hubs
Mark Nagasawa, Straus Center for Young Children & Families, Bank Street College of Education Cristina Medellin, Straus Center for Young Children & Families, Straus Center for Young Children & Families
Field/Population Differences, Harm Reduction Barriers and Promising Practices for Integrating Substance Use and Domestic Violence Services, Innovations and Challenges
Focal Theme 1: Integrating Substance Use Services and Human Services Programs
HHS has a mandate to prevent drug overdoses in the U.S. More than 932,000 people have died since 1999 from a drug overdose. The age-adjusted rate of overdose deaths increased by 31% from 2019 (21.6 per 100,000) to 2020 (28.3 per 100,000). Overdose deaths impact families and communities in detrimental ways because they cause a loss of life, emotional pain, family disruption, and financial instability. HHS’s Overdose Prevention Strategy[1] has four components: primary prevention, evidenced based treatment, recovery support, and harm reduction.
This research topical theme addresses the harm reduction component of the HHS Overdose Prevention Strategy. It will help HHS better understand issues related to integrating harm reduction services and strategies into existing human services programs.
Focal Theme 2: Facilitating Access to Multiple Programs
While safety net programs aim to improve the economic and social wellbeing of families and individuals in a time of need, they are often hindered by lack of integration across different programs serving similar populations. Safety net programs provide supports such as housing, nutrition assistance, health care, cash assistance, early care and education, child welfare, education and training, and others. Oversight and administration of these programs span federal, state, and local levels, resulting in significant variation across programs and localities and potentially multiple levels of program guidance. Varying eligibility rules, processes, requirements, and authorities across programs create a confusing and burdensome maze that individuals and families must navigate to receive benefits.
IRP and HSP seek to support research that identifies barriers and facilitators to accessing multiple programs and promising strategies for more integrated, family-centered service delivery, with a focus on addressing inequities.
Focal Theme 3: Social-Emotional Development and Mental Health
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in children’s mental health needs. Pandemic-related health, social, and economic challenges (e.g., illness, pandemic-related deaths, social isolation, financial hardship) exacerbated existing stressors, resulting in higher rates of mental health challenges among all age groups but is particularly concerning for children and youth still in critical developmental periods. Federal funding for COVID-19 relief (e.g., American Rescue Plan Act) has allocated substantial funding to children’s mental health services, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has prioritized efforts to address increased need, with the Roadmap for Behavioral Health Integration, the HHS-Department of Education (ED) Dear Colleague Letter on Social-Emotional Development and Mental Health, and the HHS joint letter on Supporting the Mental Health Needs of Children.
To facilitate continued recovery from COVID-19, IRP and HSP seek to support research related to policies and programs to address the social and emotional challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on young children and youth.
