Community ConneXor, leading provider of Connected Community Social Care Organizations, proudly announces today their receival of a groundbreaking research grant awarded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) for the “Accelerated, Accountable, Strategic and Sustainable Equity-Centered Transformation” (ASSET) initiative in North Nashville.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation launched the Systems Alignment Innovation Hub (SAIH) in November 2022 to help medical, social service, and public health providers in racially marginalized and historically disenfranchised communities dismantle inequities and improve health and well-being for all. After a year of working with a range of organizations doing vital work in their communities, SAIH invited selected organizations to apply for targeted research grants and more intensive technical assistance, with the goal of positioning them to successfully apply for pilot test funding at the end of the grant period.
Community ConneXor’s ASSET initiative, supported with grant funds, will examine an innovative systems alignment approach that engages partners from the medical, public health, and social services sectors in collaborative efforts to dismantle structural and systemic racism and improve health equity. The 18-month intensive planning grants will assist awardees in assessing and improving the feasibility, acceptability, and evaluability of their systems alignment ideas, eventually creating a strong research proposal.
Said Vickie W. Harris, founder and chief executive officer of Community ConneXor, “North Nashville is a community brimming with resources and potential, but too often, these resources remain out of reach for those who need them the most. We are acutely aware of the social determinants that have held back our residents for far too long, from access to quality healthcare to equitable education and economic opportunities. With the ASSET Initiative and RWJF grant, we’re not just acknowledging these challenges; we’re determined to overcome them.”
The RWJF grant has the potential to bring about positive transformation and improvements in various aspects of life in North Nashville, including healthcare, equity, economic opportunities, and community engagement. It reflects a commitment to addressing the needs of marginalized communities and can serve as a model for similar initiatives across the country.
SAIH is supported by RWJF’s Systems for Action Research Program, which is building a Culture of Health by rigorously testing new ways of connecting the nation’s fragmented medical, social service, and public health systems. The program supports research teams from across the United States in conducting scientific studies that evaluate the implementation and impact of novel approaches to systems alignment.