CHHS

Five Professors Earn CHHS Tenure Promotions & Two Named Professor Emeriti

Mary Cunningham — Wed, 25 May 2022 13:32:32 +0000

Five Professors Earn CHHS Tenure Promotions & Two Named Professor Emeriti Mary Cunningham Wed, 05/25/2022 - 09:32

In This Story

Emily Ihara, PhD, MSW, FGSA

Katherine Scafide, PhD, RN

Ali Weinstein, PhD

Janusz Wojtusiak, PhD

Congratulations to Ihara, Scafide, von Fricken, Weinstein, and Wojtusiak on their promotions and Guccione and Rome on being named Professors Emeriti. The College recognizes teaching excellence, leadership, dedication to research, and commitment to student success.

The College is thrilled to recognize the below faculty members on their promotions:

Promotion to Associate Professor without Term (Tenure)

Katherine Scafide – School of Nursing
Michael von Fricken – Department of Global and Community Health

Promotion to Full Professor

Emily Ihara – Department of Social Work
Ali Weinstein – Department of Global and Community Health
Janusz Wojtusiak – Department of Health Administration and Policy

Additionally, retiring faculty members Andrew Guccione in the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Sunny Harris Rome in the Department of Social Work have been named professors emeriti.

“We are so proud to have such distinguished faculty within the College,” said Cathy Tompkins, associate dean for faculty and staff affairs. “The work they have done in their respective fields is one of the many reasons we can boast the excellence of the College.”

Guccione, Ihara, Scafide, Rome, von Fricken, Weinstein, and Wojtusiak have exemplified what it means to further the pursuit of academic teaching and research. Their commitment to our student body and advancing knowledge in health and human services has earned them their new title.

Instructional Faculty Promotions were announced earlier this year in April 2022.

Once again, congratulations to all promoted and emeriti faculty!

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Rehab Science Faculty

2021-22 Academic Year - A Year of Continued Growth and Notable Milestones

Mary Cunningham — Tue, 24 May 2022 13:25:28 +0000

2021-22 Academic Year - A Year of Continued Growth and Notable Milestones Mary Cunningham Tue, 05/24/2022 - 09:25

Another academic year is coming to a close as we celebrate 794 new College of Health and Human Services alumni. Here we highlight a few of the College's recent milestones.

The 2021-22 academic year reflects the College’s strong, positive trajectory of continued growth and notable milestones. For the past five years, the College has seen significant progress in enrollment, degree offerings, philanthropy, and research funding and expenditures – thanks to the hard work of all.

Just some of our achievements since 2017 include:

19% enrollment growth;
97% increase in budget;
122% increase in research expenditures;
254% increase in philanthropic giving;
Recruitment of 83 new faculty, 30 new administrative staff, and 14 new research technical staff; and
76% six-year graduation rate for first-time freshmen, which is a 14% increase from 2010.

In addition to sustaining our substantial growth metrics, the College has also achieved significant milestones in our journey toward becoming an accredited college of public health including:

Launching our new PhD in Public Health in August 2020 and earning degree accreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) in March 2021;
Achieving CEPH accreditation for our PhD in Health Services Research in April 2022;
Submitting our Initial Application to CEPH to become a College of Public Health in April 2022;
Gaining approval from Mason’s Graduate Council for a new Master of Public Health concentration in Health Equity and Social Justice in April 2022, to launch in fall 2022; and
Receiving notification in May 2022 that CEPH accepted our initial application submission to become an accredited college of public health.

This academic year, we also made sizable strides on several strategic initiatives relative to the College’s mission of supporting students and advancing the public’s health across the lifespan, such as:

Recruiting 47 new faculty and staff in for AY 2021-22;
Opening the Virtual Reality and Simulation Lab for interprofessional student education in the fall of 2021;
Working to promote a diverse and inclusive excellence community by launching our climate survey and key priorities in March 2022;
Convening health directors, philanthropy, and technology sectors for the Transforming Public Health Workshop in March 2022;
Launching behavioral health services in the Population Health Center in fall 2021 and the Nutrition and Weight Management Clinic, which is scheduled to open in June 2022;
Awarding more than $500,000 in student scholarships to 124 students;
Continuing as a member of the Johns Hopkins Clinical Research Network as well as advancing plans for a research collaboration with Inova;
Engaging more than 500 alumni, donors, and friends of Mason at events such as the Honoring Mason Nurses: Past, Present and Future, Fifty & Flourishing Social Work event, 5^th Annual Farm to Table dinner, and regional alumni events;
Launching a strategic enrollment marketing initiative to support our degree programs; and
Envisioning a Center for Health Equity to advance research and practice.

Congratulations also to the faculty in the College who achieved important tenure and promotion milestones this year:

Lia Fleming and Kerri LaCharite were promoted to associate professor;
Laura Poms, Margaret Rodan, and Rebecca Sutter were promoted to full professor;
Michael von Fricken and Katherine Scafide were tenured and promoted to associate professor;
Emily Ihara, Ali Weinstein, and Janusz Wojtusiak were promoted to full professor; and
Andrew Guccione and Sunny Harris Rome were appointed as faculty emeriti.

"It’s been an eventful, successful, and very busy year of achievements. We can all be proud. Your efforts will have a lasting impact on our students as well as the populations and communities we serve," said Dean Germaine Louis to faculty and staff. "I am grateful for your contributions in all that we’ve accomplished together and wish you a restful summer with family and friends. There is still much work to be done to become a college of public health and to bring health to all people."

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CHHS

CHHS News

College Honors Class of 2022 Graduates at Degree Celebration

Mary Cunningham — Mon, 23 May 2022 17:17:35 +0000

College Honors Class of 2022 Graduates at Degree Celebration Mary Cunningham Mon, 05/23/2022 - 13:17

In This Story

Kimberly Holmes, PhD, MEd

Congratulations, Class of 2022!

Graduates of the College of Health and Human Services Class of 2022 were honored during an in-person Degree Celebration at EagleBank Arena on May 22. We are pleased to resume the tradition of hosting in-person Degree Celebrations, and the celebration was live-streamed for those who could not attend.

Kim Holmes, associate dean for academic affairs, hosted the celebration and welcomed the graduates and their loved ones during opening remarks, followed by comments from Dean Germaine Louis, keynote speaker Karen Dale, and student speaker Deniz Lopez-Jimenez.

Holmes opened the program by acknowledging all the hard work that led students to this moment.

“Our graduates have made their mark on Mason and their neighboring communities. Many have spent countless hours working and training in local clinics, researching topics that will improve the health of others, leading student organizations, serving the community, and other important causes,” Holmes said. The College conferred 469 bachelor’s degrees, 270 master’s degrees, 34 doctoral degrees, and 21 graduate certificates, boasting a total of 794 spring 2022 graduates who received their degrees across six departments.

“Today, we want you to know that we see your efforts, we’ve seen you in the building on early mornings putting the finishing touches on assignments, meeting classmates; we see the challenges you’ve overcome, juggling work, family commitments, classes, internships, clinical hours; and in the end you all shared a common goal of helping and serving others by proving health and services can support health and wellness,” she continued. “Whether you know it or not, you challenge all of us to be better, push harder, and to chase our dreams. After all your hard work, today is our day to honor and celebrate you.”

Dean Germaine Louis and Keynote Speaker alumna Karen Dale

Dean Germaine Louis took the podium next to share that it was the students who inspired her to overcome her writing block and complete this speech only a few days ago.

“My block was because of the many challenges in the world that are facing our current graduates as well as future ones. And to me, at times, these challenges feel insurmountable,” said Louis. “How do we overcome global hunger, housing instability, health disparities driven by social inequities, hatred, violence, trauma, climate change, in over one million lives lost from COVID-19 infections in the US alone? I asked myself, are these challenges curable? Is it reasonable to ask today’s graduates and the ones to follow to be able to solve these problems that certainly my generation has not done?”

“I thought about our students in the college, across all disciplines...I easily remembered how incredible they are; Something their parents, family, and friends already know and know well,” Louis continued. “As health professionals, our students show up when need arises. Words cannot come close to expressing the great pride I have for our graduates and the faculty and staff who stand with them.”

“I found my renewed sense of hope in you. You can and will correct the wrongs of the world to innovate new paths forward and to deliver health equity irrespective of remaining challenges,” said Louis.

She also offered a few words of advice and hope.

“Remain intellectually curious with a willingness to learn to advance knowledge and deliver health innovations,” she said. “Remember together we can make health visible a reality for all. In the words of Mason’s president Gregory Washington, ‘It’s Mason’s Time and it gives me hope.’”

Bachelor of Nursing alumna Dale spoke to graduates about the importance of purpose. She is the market president and chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer for AmeriHealth Caritas’ Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) in Washington, D.C. Dale was originally scheduled to address graduates at the May 2020 Degree Celebration which was canceled due to COVID-19, but returned this year to encourage graduates to find their individual motivations.

Dale shared that clarity of purpose helps us to be more resilient and have greater life satisfaction. She recommended these steps to find that clarity: Identify your unique gifts, have courage, be inclusive, and make decisions based on what’s right.

“This is the beginning of an opportunity for you to leverage your unique gifts, to find your purpose, to be a catalyst for good,” Dale said. “I wish you immense success in all your endeavors; and I hope you leave this ceremony with positive emotion in your heart, a focus on intentional engagement in all your relationships, a magnificent sense of urgency to define your meaning and purpose, and that you have the courage, the renewable courage, to lead in ways that help you to achieve yet unimagined accomplishments.”

Student Speaker Deniz Lopez-Jimenez

Lopez-Jimenez is a first-generation U.S. college student, who wanted to share his story of hope with his fellow graduates. He thanked his family and asked graduates to give their support networks and themselves a round of applause for all they have accomplished.

“In your future endeavors, I urge you to keep advocating for and helping others, persevering, and holding dear the value of the Mason experience. Go out there and make the world a better place! If you’re a first-generation college student, know that ‘Si se puede!’ You can do it! We can do it.”

After the ceremony, graduates, their families and friends, faculty, and staff were invited to a celebratory reception at Peterson Hall.

Congratulations to our newest alumni!

Check back in a few days for a slideshow of event photos.

To stay connected, all alumni are encouraged to become a part of the public health dialogue on the College’s social media channels: chhs.gmu.edu/news | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram

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Melissa J. Perry, Sc.D., MHS Named Dean of the College of Health and Human Services

mthomp7 — Thu, 12 May 2022 16:09:14 +0000

Melissa J. Perry, Sc.D., MHS Named Dean of the College of Health and Human Services mthomp7 Thu, 05/12/2022 - 12:09

In This Story

Melissa J. Perry, Sc.D., MHS

George Mason University is pleased to announce the appointment of Melissa J. Perry, Sc.D., MHS as the next Dean of the College of Health and Human Services. Dean-designate Perry will join the Mason community on August 1, 2022.

Dr. Perry comes to Mason from George Washington University where she has served as a Professor and Chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health in the Milken School of Public Health since 2011. She also has faculty appointments in the Department of Epidemiology and Statistics at the Milken School of Public Health, as well as in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. In addition, she previously served as the Interim Associate Dean for Research at the Milken School of Public Health. Prior to joining the faculty and leadership at George Washington University, she was a member of the faculty at the Harvard School of Public Health (1999 – 2011) as well as the Medical College of Wisconsin (1995 – 1999).

She is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health where she received both her MHS and Sc.D. degrees. She was awarded a Bachelors of Arts degree from the University of Vermont where she was recognized as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa organization. She is currently a candidate for an MBA degree at the George Washington University.

Dr. Perry is internationally respected for her work as an educator, researcher and administrator. Her research has been well-funded by both federal agencies and foundations. She has published more than 150 manuscripts, technical reports, book chapters, commentaries and book reviews and is a frequent speaker at professional conferences.

Dr. Perry is currently completing an assignment in Albania as a Fellow in the Fulbright International Education Program for Global Scholars. Among a large number of other appointments and honors in support of academic organizations and professional societies, she is a Past-President and Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology, Chair of the Research Committee of the Health Effects Institute, Co-Chair of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Committee on Emerging Science, and recently completed a term as the Chair of the Board of Scientific Counselors of the Center for Environmental Health’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

"This is a fantastic opportunity and I am delighted to join the fine members of George Mason University. CHHS is making a real impact in health promotion and disease prevention and I am looking forward to leading the College to the next level of national and international accomplishments,” said Perry.

We welcome Dr. Perry to the College of Health and Human Services and George Mason University.

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CHHS

Jamil Pugh Wins First Place at Mason’s 3 Minute Thesis Competition

Mary Cunningham — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 16:05:47 +0000

Jamil Pugh Wins First Place at Mason’s 3 Minute Thesis Competition Mary Cunningham Mon, 04/11/2022 - 12:05

The Rehabilitation Science PhD candidate is grateful for the opportunity to learn to present his research concisely and to an audience outside his field.

Jamil Pugh, a PhD in Rehabilitation Science candidate, earned first place at the 2022 Mason 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition with his thesis “The Effect of Overground Locomotor Training on Walking Turns Among Individuals with Parkinson's Disease.”

“I am honored and extremely grateful,” said Pugh of winning. “I learned how to present scientific knowledge tailored to an audience outside of my field, a skill that will benefit me as I enter my professional career.”

3MT® is a research communication competition where PhD students present their doctoral research to a non-specialist audience using only one single visual aid—all in three minutes. This exercise encourages graduate students to think about their research from an outsider’s perspective, hones their presentation skills, and provides a forum for a cross-disciplinary exchange of exciting ideas and information.

The one image Pugh used during his 3 Minute Thesis presentation.

Pugh called condensing his dissertation into only three minutes “the greatest challenge” and is grateful for the advice from his mentor Andrew Guccione, professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Science.

Mason's 3MT competition is hosted by the Office of the Provost. The top 10 finalists competed in the final 3MT round at the Mason Graduate Interdisciplinary Conference on Friday, April 8, 2022. DNP students, MFA students, and PhD students who have advanced to candidacy are eligible to participate in Mason’s 3MT competition.

3MT was founded by the University of Queensland in Australia.

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CHHS

CHHS News

Rehab Science News

Rehab Science Students

Rehabilitation Science

College of Health and Human Services Hosts Transforming Public Health Workshop

John Brandon Cantrell — Wed, 23 Mar 2022 19:25:14 +0000

College of Health and Human Services Hosts Transforming Public Health Workshop John Brandon C… Wed, 03/23/2022 - 15:25

Convening area leaders to rebuild public health infrastructure

As the region approached the second anniversary of declaring a state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic, the College of Health and Human Services convened academic, health department, and philanthropy leaders to discuss the current public health priorities and opportunities to partner in transforming the region’s public health infrastructure.

“The College believes in the power of partnerships to deliver and promote the public’s health and that no one discipline has all the answers,” said Germaine Louis, Dean of the College, in her opening remarks. “Partnerships in Northern Virginia will be a win-win strategy as we work together to develop the much-needed health workforce and harness the power of data.”

The workshop was designed to bring the three critical stakeholder groups together to discuss the role of data and technology, workforce development, and philanthropy in addressing the most pressing priorities shared by the health department directors. The conversation was the first step in identifying solutions and developing actionable plans for the near future.

Michael Fraser, CEO of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, expressed his gratitude for the commitment of the health directors throughout the pandemic as well as his optimistic view that “transformation is possible.” Fraser shared that the pandemic has reinforced state, local, and federal commitment to transform in the areas of health equity, public health infrastructure, and data modernization—and now is the time to act!

Area Health Department Directors Share Priorities

In the first of three panels, the participating health directors discussed workforce challenges, including the shortage of nurse practitioners, particularly in rural areas, and the pervasive need for mental and behavioral health services. The need for on-going workforce development for the current health workforce was a common theme, including opportunities for just-in-time training, workforce retention initiatives, and effective communication strategies.

The group discussed health equity-related challenges, including the demand for a public health workforce that strives for equity in all policies and that helps stakeholders understand the “why” behind health equity initiatives. Participants examined the mind set shifts needed to bring health equity to the region as well as implications for policy, service delivery, and community members in traditionally over-represented populations.

Communication and education about the social determinants of health and their impact on community health were also cited as challenges that health directors seek to address, noting the need to simplify scientific information for the public’s benefit. The health directors explored the rapidly expanding role of data in public health and the increased need for analytical and decision-making skills in the public health workforce as well as the ability to clearly and accurately communicate the meaning behind the data.

Perspectives on Addressing Challenges

The second panel comprising faculty from the College and Advisory Board Members explored strategic opportunities to address the Health Department’s priorities for transforming public health relative to workforce development; health equity; and data, analytics, and technology.

From a workforce development perspective, the panel explored opportunities for collaboration between health departments and academe. Participants discussed providing students with real-world experience via internships and practica, as well as partnerships to identify the evolving skills, capabilities, and credentials the workforce will need in the future. The College is offering and will continue to develop accessible degree programs that deliver career ready graduates. The College can help with ‘upskilling’ the current workforce through specific training or by offering focused certificate programs or micro- credentials for the current workforce desiring more targeted training.

The health equity panel noted that a multi-level approach is needed and discussion focused on the many stakeholders involved in equity beyond a strict health focus. The Panel discussed the importance of technology in delivering health equity, the central role of community health workers, and the important role that academia plays in informing interventions and economic policies to address inequities in care delivery and policy. Faculty discussed their role in developing system-level thinkers who can approach today’s challenges, such as health equity, with complex analytical and problem-solving skills.

In terms of data modernization, panelists raised questions about what the public health data infrastructure is and how modern analytics and technology can offer solutions

moving forward. Discussion focused the importance of a data-ready and analytically-prepared workforce that gathers meaningful data for curation and harmonization into public health applications that positively impact the public’s health rather than keeping data in silos. The panel discussed the need to ask the right questions and to understand who will be using the data. Also, interdisciplinary collaborations are needed to prepare future public health leaders for decision-making, including the rapid emergence of technologies, like telehealth and artificial intelligence, witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Role of Philanthropy in Meeting the Moment

The third panel featured philanthropic leaders who shared their vision for how foundations and non-profits can partner in the transformation process with contributions that span well beyond their grant-making capabilities. Coalitions, convenings, relationship-building, data, and research are all benefits of partnering with the philanthropic sector to transform public health. Another emerging opportunity for foundations is helping to articulate the message, and funding the initiatives of community coalitions.

The workshop concluded with a call for further collaboration in service to the many opportunities identified throughout the day. For those who wish to learn more about opportunities to partner in the transformation of public health, please contact Dean Germaine Louis at glouis@gmu.edu.

Summary and Next Steps

During the open discussion following the panels, a number of great points were made and several themes emerged relative to a new conceptual basis for public health through the design and implementation of innovative initiatives centering on workforce, health equity and data modernization, as noted below.

Public Health

Sentiments were articulated that called for all to be proactive in remaining connected with public health and in telling our story, including what does and does not work well. We need to continue to show up, to listen and strategize, and to share power and responsibility amongst stakeholders. Both biomedical and social drivers of health and well-being need to be incorporated into public health initiatives and that will mean new collaborators from non-traditional public health disciplines, including: agriculture, housing, transportation, parks and recreation (built environment), urban planners, and businesses/employers. Philanthropy can use its voice to support of public health in their role as trusted neutral brokers.

Moving forward, we need strategies to prepare for the next pandemic as well as the impact of macro stressors such as climate on health. Such initiatives might engage multicultural advisory committees for perspective and to ensure stakeholders have a voice. Sustainable funding along with nimble contracting procedures are essential in maximizing the impact of public health, and in helping to ensure we maintain our identity in the context of friction. Lastly, moving forward will require leveraging existing and new resources and expertise to put principles into practice to ensure health and wellness, coupled with an accompanying safety net to deliver health equity.

Workforce

A new skillset is needed for both the current and future public health workforces as are strategies for upskilling the existing workforce and ensuring career ready graduates. Academe can prepare students for public health careers but bidirectional communication is needed to ensure needed skillsets aligns with coursework and practicums, while meeting accreditation standards. Academe can develop and offer credit-bearing (or not) certificate programs or micro-credentials to address current workforce needs, such as the forthcoming Master of Public Health concentration in health equity and social justice. Repeated calls were made to ensure the future workforce has contemporary skills reflecting best practices for data analytics including visualization and interpretation, communication with native and non-native English speakers, health literacy, community engagement and trust, policy, and advocacy.

Health Equity

Recognizing the many disciplines that comprise public health and equity, the field will need new partners to tackle systemic and structural factors that impede social and health equity. Best practices are needed and communicating the specifics and impact of health equity to decision makers is needed. It is timely to be designing equity impact plans targeted to communities and to gather support from stakeholders.

Data, Analytics, and Technology

Data modernization techniques are needed to design the public health data structure and to leverage available and non-traditional databases (e.g., administrative) along with more typical public health registries and databases (e.g., vital registration, cancer registries). We can be thinking about digital health innovation opportunities so that initiatives can be designed to be effective, efficient, equitable, and safe. Telehealth opportunities are an excellent way to reach underserved populations and are likely to remain post-pandemic and become an acceptable component of clinical care. In terms of health informatics, there are exciting opportunities to use AI and machine-learning tools to design and deliver equitable health.

Workshop Agenda & Participants

Panel 1: Health Directors’ Panel Discussion – Top 3 Priorities Moving Forward

Gloria Addo-Ayensu, M.D., M.P.H., District Director, Fairfax Health District *
Alison Ansher, M.D., M.P.H., District Director, Prince William Health District*
Michael Fraser, Ph.D., M.S., Chief Executive Officer, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
David Goodfriend, M.D., M.P.H., District Director, Loudon Health District
L. Trice Gravatte, M.D., Health Director, Rappahannock-Rapidan Health District
Christopher Revere, M.P.A., Deputy Director for Innovation and Planning, Fairfax County Health District
David Rose, M.D., M.B.A., Director, Alexandria Health Department
Robert Sharpe, Chief Operations Officer, Arlington Health District
Reuben Varghese, M.D., District Director, Arlington Health District

Panel 2: Mason Faculty & Advisory Board Response – Possible Strategic Initiatives for meeting Health Department Needs

Workforce Priority

Carolyn Drews-Botsch, Ph.D., M.P.H., Chair & Professor, Department of Global & Community Health, College of Health & Human Services, George Mason University
Michael Fraser, Ph.D., M.S., Chief Executive Officer, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials*
Emily Ihara, Ph.D., M.S.W., Chair & Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, College of Health & Human Services, George Mason University
PJ Maddox, Ed.D., Chair & Professor, Department of Health Administration & Policy, College of Health & Human Services, George Mason University
Robert Weiler, Ph.D., M.P.H., Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Health & Human Services, George Mason University

Health Equity Priority

Robert Blancato, M.P.A., President, Matz Blancato & Associates*
Gilbert Gimm, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Health Administration & Policy, College of Health & Human Services, George Mason University
Sharon Lamberton, M.S., Deputy Vice President, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America*
Michelle Williams, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Global & Community Health,
College of Health & Human Services, George Mason University
Hong Xue, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Health Administration & Policy, College of Health & Human Services, George Mason University

Data Platforms, Analytics, and Technology Priority

Anton Arbatov, M.H.A., Senior Vice President Customer Success, Clarity, Inc.*
Alicia Hong, Ph.D., M.P.H., Professor, Department of Health Administration & Policy, College of Health & Human Services, George Mason University
Praduman Jain, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Vibrent Health*
Rebecca Sutter, D.N.P., Associate Professor, School of Nursing, College of Health & Human Services, George Mason University
Jinshan Tang, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Health Administration & Policy, College of Health & Human Services, George Mason University
Janusz Wojtusiak, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Health Administration & Policy, College of Health & Human Services, George Mason University

Panel 3: Philanthropic Leaders’ Response – Intersection of Philanthropic Missions with Public Health

Eileen Ellsworth, J.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia
Susie Lee, M.P.H., Executive Director, Potomac Health Foundation*
Patricia Mathews, B.A., President and Chief Executive Officer, Northern Virginia Health Foundation
Robin Mockenhaupt, Ph.D., M.P.H., Robin Mockenhaupt Consulting, LLC*

* indicates Dean’s Advisory Board Member

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Public Health

Introducing the Population Health Center: The Intersection of Academics and Practice

dhawkin — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 20:24:21 +0000

Introducing the Population Health Center: The Intersection of Academics and Practice dhawkin Wed, 10/09/2019 - 16:24

A Bold New Model in Clinical Care, Research, and Professional Development to Improve the Public’s Health

Dean Germaine Louis and Co-Directors of the Population Health Center from left to right: Caroline Sutter, Rebecca Sutter, Germaine Louis, and Alison Cuellar.

The health of Northern Virginia is at a crossroads. Changes in the profile of residents’ health and demographics reveal populations at risk. More than 16% of residents live in “islands of disadvantage,” and nearly 8% are uninsured. Demographic shifts coupled with changes in Medicare and the mandate to reduce hospital readmission rates are transitioning the point of care delivery from hospitals and emergency departments to community providers.

To address these critical public health needs in Northern Virginia and beyond, the George Mason College of Health and Human Services has launched the Population Health Center, an essential and bold intersection of academics and practice.

The Population Health Center, located on Mason’s Fairfax campus, addresses this transformation in how we access and deliver care, particularly for underrepresented and uninsured populations. The Center will help: practitioners attain new skills and credentials; employers meet evolving needs; and communities connect with innovative, solution-oriented partners.

“The Population Health Center is a hub where researchers, faculty, students, care providers, and community partners come together to develop innovative approaches to research, interprofessional care, and professional development to improve public health. Experiential learning opportunities are available for all involved, with the goal of moving the needle on the health of the populations we serve,” says Dean of the College of Health and Human Services Dr. Germaine Louis.

The Population Health Center facilitates partnerships between academia and community and houses state-of-the art facilities for telehealth, research, and clinical care. The 10th Mason and Partners (MAP) Clinic, a no-barrier free clinic, will be located at the Center as will the Kaiser Permanente Community Wellness Hub, where co-located community partners will provide resources to address determinants of health such as access to housing, food, and prescriptions. The Kaiser Permanente Community Wellness Hub was funded by a grant from Kaiser Permanente. The Claude Moore Scholars program, an initiative to build a career-ready workforce of students who are pursuing higher education health career pathways, is also located in the Center.

Examples of inaugural initiatives taking place at the Population Health Center include:

Providing integrated primary care responsive to the social determinants of health;
Using electronic health data along with telehealth and mHealth technologies in delivering care;
Understanding and promoting the health of young adults beginning with Mason students; and
Reimagining the model for developing competencies and skills for professionals and the health workforce.

Drs. Alison Cuellar, Caroline Sutter, and Rebecca Sutter have been appointed as co-directors of the Population Health Center to oversee the tri-part mission of the Center, and serve as advisors to Dean Louis. Alison Cuellar will oversee faculty-led research initiatives, Rebecca Sutter will oversee interprofessional care delivery, and Caroline Sutter will oversee workforce development efforts. Together, and with the College faculty, these leaders will bring their respective expertise to build a groundbreaking model for interprofessional collaboration among public health researchers, practitioners, community partners, and students.