New KU Social Welfare research center focuses on health equity

LAWRENCE – A new research center in the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare will elevate health-related research, training and collaboration. The Center for the Advancement of Health Equity (CAHE) is committed to improving health, behavioral health and long-term care systems, as well as promoting health equity and access.

Four researchers in the School of Social Welfare are the founding directors of the center. Cheryl Holmes, Michelle Levy, Jason Matejkowski and Carrie Wendel-Hummell conduct research that focuses on health, with a history of working to advance health equity for disadvantaged populations.

The work of CAHE seeks to improve the performance of and access to health, behavioral health and long-term care systems that will enhance the health and quality of life of diverse populations across the lifespan. Part of CAHE’s mission is its commitment to promoting health equity and access by focusing on social determinants of health.

“The need to advance health equity research, training and collaboration is as great as ever,” Matejkowski said. “Locally, regionally and nationally access to health and behavioral health care remains spotty and disparate. This center aims to reduce this problem by developing, implementing and evaluating innovative systems-level and targeted approaches to care.”

Research

The Center for the Advancement of Health Equity brings a social work perspective to research on health care systems and health equity.

Current research projects associated with the center include a training program for social workers in integrated behavioral health; a vaccine education, outreach and engagement project; and a training program for direct service workers in home and community-based services.

CAHE brings the School of Social Welfare’s expertise in social and behavioral health to inform and promote equity in practice, policy, research and development within health and behavioral health systems of care.

"While the center will seek research collaborators from multiple disciplines, anchoring the center in the School of Social Welfare has its benefits, too,” Matejkowski said. “Social work has a rich history of research on health care and related systems, and with disadvantaged populations; including our profession’s current call to “Close the health gap” as one of the Grand Challenges for Social Work. The center will provide the opportunity to elevate and strengthen this scholarship through more formalized, center-based collaborations."

Training

Through training programs, the center aims to help meet the growing demand for social workers in health and behavioral health. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of social workers in health care, mental health and substance abuse is expected to grow by 11% between 2020 and 2030.

The Integrated Health Scholars Program provides scholarships, training and career development support for about 30 students in KU’s clinical social work master’s degree program each year. Sponsored by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Health Resources & Services Administration, ​​​​the program aims to increase the supply of social work professionals prepared to provide high-quality integrated behavioral health services in rural and other high-need communities in Kansas and western Missouri. More than 270 students have graduated from the program in the past 10 years.

The center’s founding directors have also trained future social workers through graduate research assistantships and the MSW Research Scholars program.

Collaboration

A key mission for the center is to enhance opportunities for partnership and collaboration among health scholars in the KU School of Social Welfare.

The school has a history of interdisciplinary research and interprofessional collaboration. KU social welfare researchers collaborate as principal investigators with KU research centers including the KU Center for Public Partnerships and Research, Life Span Institute, Institute for Policy & Social Research and KU Medical Center, in addition to external partners such as other universities and community partners.

“The Center for Advancement of Health Equity will immediately begin recruiting affiliates to join us in our mission to improve and increase access to care systems,” Matejkowski said. “This work is challenging and complex and, as such, we will be eager to collaborate with people from a wide variety of disciplines and professions who are committed to advancing the health and quality of life of diverse populations.”

The center emphasizes the value of community collaboration at all stages of research, from working with community partners to identify research questions that are important to them and designing data collection measures that meet community member needs to disseminating research results in ways that are accessible and useful to our communities.

“Our community partners keep us informed about pressing issues in our communities and help amplify the reach and impact of our efforts,” Wendel-Hummell said.

Vision – Center for the Advancement of Health Equity

The Center for the Advancement of Health Equity envisions health, behavioral health and long-term care systems that effectively meet the needs of all people and the elimination of social inequities that adversely impact health and well-being.

For more information on CAHE, including how to become an affiliate member, visit https://socwel.ku.edu/cahe.