Grant Program: Community Impact Grant

This project, led by Embolden WI Inc., aims to improve health outcomes for communities in Milwaukee and Rock Counties by addressing the health factors of social connection and community belonging to promote civic engagement. Through culturally specific education and a civic health training program, this project will strengthen social connection and community belonging and build participants’ capacity as public health decision makers and influencers. Mary Beth Collins, JD, UW–Madison School of Human Ecology, serves as the academic partner.

This project, Medical Legal Partnership (MLP), led by Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association, Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association (WPHCA), Legal Action Wisconsin (LAW) and Judicare Legal Aid (Judicare) aims to improve financial stability and well-being for patients with lower incomes and unmet civil legal needs by connecting them with free health related legal services. Amy Washbush, PhD, UW–Madison School of Human Ecology, serves as the academic partner.

This project led by Marshfield Clinic seeks to improve food security for children and families in rural northern Wisconsin by partnering with after school programs on the four pillars of food security: availability of healthy foods, access to healthy foods, knowledge about preparation and stability of diet. Maggie Bohm-Jordan, PhD, Department of Sociology and Social Work, UW–Stevens Point, serves as the academic partner.

This project, led by Lutheran Social Services (LSS) seeks to improve the mental health crisis facing youth from historically under-resourced neighborhoods in Milwaukee County through the implementation of family coaching services and community engagement that addresses the social factors contributing to poor health and educational outcomes. Joshua Mersky, PhD, The Institute for Child and Family Well-Being, UW–Milwaukee, serves as the academic partner.

This project, led by Three Gaits, Inc., will implement a Riding in the Moment (RM), an adaptive horseback riding program, to reduce isolation and improve the health and quality of life for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their family caregivers.

This project, Empowering African Immigrant Women’s Health and Well-being: A Virtual Center for Women’s Health and Mental Health in Wisconsin, will establish a virtual center for women’s health and mental health dedicated to African immigrant women. As of 2021 there were over 21,000 African immigrants in Wisconsin and this demographic has significant diversity, necessitating services tailored to effectively meet their needs.

This project, titled Advocates in Medicine Pathway 2.0, seeks to improve representation in medicine in North Central Wisconsin by addressing barriers to medical school for rural and underrepresented medicine students from this region. Strong doctor-patient relationships are crucial to providing excellent health care and such relationships are best facilitated by having physicians that represent the people that make up the local community. Students from rural, underserved communities are most likely to return to those areas to practice medicine, but these students often face barriers to matriculating to medical school.

This project, Cultivate Health Initiative, aimed to build capacity for garden-based education programs through professional development and technical assistance for educators and community leaders. School-based garden interventions have the potential to promote healthy eating behaviors and impact obesity in children. The initiative successfully advanced garden-based education by aligning stakeholders, establishing a strong communications infrastructure, surpassing professional goals and prioritizing resource development and dissemination. Cultivate Health Initiative’s lasting impact was evident in its widespread reach, stakeholder engagement and policy influence, fostering a thriving ecosystem for garden-based education across the state.

This project, From Punishment to Restoration, aimed to implement a comprehensive intervention to bring about policy and systems change in order to address barriers to successful re-entry in Wisconsin, where the incarceration rate is the highest in the upper Midwest, and the state’s rate of incarceration for African American males is the highest in the nation. Incarceration is a public health problem with widespread negative effects on individuals and communities, including effects related to mental illness, alcohol and other substance addiction and chronic disease, all of which reflect priorities in community health improvement plans across the state. From Punishment to Restoration significantly transformed Wisconsin’s criminal justice landscape by boosting leadership and civic engagement among previously incarcerated individuals in Ex-Prisoners Organizing (EXPO) and performing a Health Impact Assessment (HIA). The HIA played a vital role in public education, highlighting the negative effects of parole and probation revocations on health, resulting in strengthened partnerships with public health organizations. The HIA also influenced agenda setting, legislative efforts and administrative changes at local and state levels, demonstrating its comprehensive impact on criminal justice reform in Wisconsin.

This project, led by Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), aimed to ensure students with mental health concerns achieve wellbeing, maximize their potential to engage in their education and grow academically to attain educational success. Low-income students are twice as likely to experience mental health concerns, and students of color are overrepresented among MMSD students living in poverty. These students also face disparities in access to mental health services, with only 20 percent receiving community support compared to 50 percent of their economically-advantaged peers. Multiple studies substantiate links between participation in mental health services and improved mental health and school participation and performance. The Behavioral Health in Schools (BHS) program, initially piloted in three schools, successfully expanded to 13 schools over five years. The population of students grew 63 percent annually, and clients were consistently seen for an average of 17 sessions per year. The program primarily served traditionally underserved students. Notable improvements were reported among elementary school students, while middle school outcomes varied. Caregivers emphasized positive changes in their child’s mental health and functioning and expressed additional desire to work on family communication. Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic brought unexpected benefits and challenges, including highlighting the vital role of virtual sessions and concerns about equity in service access.