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Funded Projects

Parenting Support Is Public Health: Reducing Health Disparities in the Child Welfare System

Awarded in 2019
Community Impact Grant
Updated Sep 12, 2023

At a Glance

A public health approach to family support is needed to effectively address family stress and instability that is experienced by families in some of Milwaukee’s most vulnerable communities.

Through this grant, the initiative ultimately aims to improve health outcomes for children by building an integrated system of prevention, intervention and treatment services to strengthen families and help reduce the disproportionate rates of African American children in the Milwaukee child welfare system.

More about the WPP Community Impact Grant Program

More Funded Projects

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Community Impact Grant

Southwestern Wisconsin Recovery Pathways

Year Awarded: 2017
This project, led by Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program, aimed to address the growing opioid addiction epidemic in rural Southwestern Wisconsin. The prevalence of opioid addiction in this region has reached critical levels, revealing gaps in health care infrastructure and capacity, including shortages of psychiatric and substance abuse professionals and a lack of accessible long-term recovery options. This situation forces affected individuals to seek care in distant urban areas, contributing to a cycle of recidivism without clear pathways for sustained treatment. This project made significant progress in addressing the opioid addiction in Southwestern Wisconsin. The Opportunity House provided essential housing and support to 48 residents in early recovery and expanded its capacity to serve both men and women. Collaborative efforts with county agencies, treatment providers and academic partners and educational events in the community have strengthened access to substance use treatment resources, fostered a more cohesive care network and made strides in reducing stigma in the region.
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Collaborative Health Sciences Program

Rediscovering Rheumatoid Factor as a Unique Antiviral Agent in COVID-19

Year Awarded: 2022
Emerging and recurring viral infections remain a threat to public health and personal well-being. This innovative project proposes to “rediscover” rheumatoid factor (RF), a naturally occurring autoimmune antibody generally considered a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis, as a unique, universal antiviral agent. The primary goal of this proposal is to learn more about the role of RFs in COVID-19 in order to inform the development of a universal antiviral treatment for rapid deployment during seasonal, endemic and future viral pandemics. The findings have the potential to inform the development of novel therapeutics for treating wide range of viral infections.