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Below is an alphabetical list of current Research & Policy Analysis Projects funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

A Matter of Degree (AMOD) Evaluation
Grant ID: 51879
The A Matter of Degree (AMOD) program evaluation examines a national demonstration initiative to reduce binge drinking and related harms among college students. AMOD is designed to create change by altering campus and community environments. Participating sites are using a coalition-based approach that brings campuses and communities together to change the conditions that promote heavy alcohol consumption prevalent in many campus-community environments. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health are examining program effects over time by assessing coalition structure and functioning, features of the college environment, program implementation and behavioral outcomes. The AMOD evaluation Web site describes the program evaluation and provides links to published evaluation research.

Active Living Research
Grant ID: PAP
The Active Living program supports research to identify environmental factors and policies that influence physical activity. Findings from this research will be used to help inform changes in policy and the design of the built environment to promote active living. Learn more about the activities of Active Living Research on its Web site.

Better Jobs, Better Care: Building a Strong Long-Term Care Workforce
Grant ID: BJC
Better Jobs Better Care (BJBC) supports a range of demonstration projects to develop and diffuse long-term care workforce improvement efforts as well as applied research and evaluation projects to better understand what works in creating a committed, capable workforce. The BJBC Web site features information on both types of grants and publications such as issue briefs, reports and articles.

Bridging the Gap: Research Information Practice for Healthy Youth Behavior
Grant ID: YSA
Bridging the Gap is a program that promotes research to inform healthy youth behavior. This national program focuses on identifying the policy and environmental determinants of youth tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use within a nationally representative samples of 8th, 10th and 12th graders surveyed annually as part of the Monitoring the Future survey funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The two arms of this program are Impact Teen and Youth Education and Society. It also includes an interdisciplinary partnership of nationally recognized substance abuse experts with specialties in such areas as economics, etiology, epidemiology, law, political science, public policy, psychology and sociology. Beginning in 2002, this initiative expanded to begin to identify the school, community and state policy and environmental supports for youth physical activity, healthy eating and obesity. The Bridging the Gap Web site highlights research products, chart packs and policy briefs related to youth substance use.

California Health Interview Survey
Grant ID: 46008
The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) is the largest state health survey and one of the largest health surveys in the United States. CHIS is conducted by the University of California-Los Angeles Center for Health Policy Research in collaboration with the California Department of Health Services and the Public Health Institute. CHIS gives health planners, policy-makers, county governments, advocacy groups and communities a detailed picture of the health and health care needs facing California's diverse population at both the local and state level. RWJF supported the addition of a housing and community module to assess the impact of community environments on health status and access to health services for diverse ethnic groups and geographic settings. Visit the Web site for more information about the survey, its methodology, data files and research findings.

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
Grant ID: TFK
The mission of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is to improve health and save lives by preventing kids from smoking, helping smokers quit and protecting everyone from secondhand smoke. The Campaign's Web site helps inform the public, policy-makers and the media about tobacco control and offers ways for organizations and individuals to become involved in the effort. The Web site carries the full text of the Campaign's special reports, fact sheets, press releases, advertisements and other materials.

The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools
Grant ID: DEM
The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS) is a nonpartisan policy and program resource center that works with institutional leaders, state officials and clinical providers to maximize outcomes for children through more effective health programming in schools. Its Web site offers information on publications and policies related to health programming in schools, resources for parents and quality and safety issues in school health.

Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC)
Grant ID: MHC
Founded in 1995, HSC is a nonpartisan policy research organization focused on the cost, quality and accessibility of health care in the United States. HSC researchers focus on three main policy areas: insurance coverage and costs, access to care and local markets and managed care. Instead of advocating for particular policies, HSC serves as a broker of information for policy-makers, the news media, employers, health care providers, insurers and the public. Visit the HSC Web site to view research publications, issue briefs, tracking reports, data bulletins, journal articles and community reports.

Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization (HCFO)
Grant ID: HFO
The Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization (HCFO) initiative strives to bridge the health policy and health services research communities by (1) providing public and private decision-makers with usable and timely information on health care policy, financing and market developments and (2) by bringing together the policy and research communities through meetings, issue identification, research translation and communication activities. HCFO supports investigator-initiated research and policy analysis, evaluation and demonstration projects examining major changes in health care financing, and their effects on cost, access, or quality. The HCFO Web site describes funding opportunities and grants as well as grant results and publications. It also includes monthly grantee spotlights and monthly hot topics (descriptions of major policy issues with a focus on how research in the HCFO pipeline can be helpful in considering policy options).

College Alcohol Study (CAS)
Grant ID: 35965
The College Alcohol Study (CAS) is an ongoing survey (begun in 1993) of a nationally representative sample of over 14,000 students at 120 four-year colleges in 40 states. The CAS examines the prevalence of heavy drinking on college campuses, the role of fraternities and sororities and athletics in this behavior, the relationship of state alcohol control measures and college policies to college drinking and the role that easy access to alcohol and low prices play. The study also provides a continuing look at other behavioral, social and health problems confronting today's American college students. The CAS Web site highlights CAS findings and resources related to college drinking.

Below is an alphabetical list of current Research & Policy Analysis Projects funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care
Grant ID: DAT
The Dartmouth Atlas project documents the remarkable differences in the distribution of health care resources, their use and spending on health care services across the United States. In brief, the kind of health care you get can depend very much on where you happen to live. Learn more about this project on their Web site, where you can download publications as well as data about local health care markets.

Economic Research Initiative on the Uninsured (ERIU)
Grant ID: RHI
The Economic Research Initiative on the Uninsured (ERIU) initiated and commissioned original research on health insurance coverage, with the intention of contributing information important to the health coverage debate. The Web site disseminates the results of their work, showcasing research highlights, findings, fast facts and working papers. It also includes a searchable database of the health insurance literature and relevant data sets.

Finding Answers: Disparities Research for Change
Grant ID: DSN
Launched in January 2006, Finding Answers: Disparities Research for Change seeks to improve the quality of health care provided to patients from racial and ethnic backgrounds likely to experience disparities. Projects funded under Finding Answers will evaluate practical and replicable solutions designed to reduce and eliminate racial and ethnic health care disparities. The program office will conduct systematic reviews of existing published and unpublished literature regarding racial and ethnic health care disparities interventions. Learn more about Finding Answers current activities on its Web site.

The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study
Grant ID: 43407
The Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study follows a birth cohort of mostly unwed parents and their children over a five-year period. This study is designed to provide new information on the capabilities and relationships of unwed parents, as well as the effects of policies on family formation and child well-being, health, cognitive development and socioemotional development. Visit the Fragile Families Web site for more information on this study and its many research products.

Health e-Technologies: Building the Science of eHealth
Grant ID: IBR
The mission of Health e-Technologies is to advance the discovery of scientific knowledge regarding the effectiveness of interactive applications (i.e., Internet, interactive TV and voice response systems, kiosks, personal digital assistants, CD-ROMs, DVDs) for health behavior change and chronic disease management. In addition, this program aims to find out whether these applications improve the processes and outcomes of care for culturally diverse groups of consumers and support provider adherence to evidence-based care. Its Web site includes information about grantee research and an online collaboration community of eHealth researchers, as well as resources and news related to technology and health.

Healthy Eating Research: Building Evidence to Prevent Childhood Obesity
Grant ID: HER
Launched in December 2005, Healthy Eating Research supports research that identifies, analyzes and evaluates environmental and policy approaches to increasing healthy eating among children. Special emphasis will be given to research projects that will benefit children in the low-income and racial/ethnic populations at highest risk for obesity. Learn more about Healthy Eating Research current activities on its Web site.

Helping Young Smokers Quit
Grant ID: HSQ
Helping Young Smokers Quit (HYSQ) is a program that works to fill a gap in knowledge about the numbers and distribution of youth smoking cessation programs as well as the types of treatment approaches and program components that are currently offered across the United States. Through program evaluations, HYSQ aims to identify effective models to help states, communities, schools and other community-based and youth-serving organizations adopt and implement programs that work, and provide standards and tools for self-evaluations. Findings from HYSQ also will assist researchers and funding organizations plan future youth smoking cessation programs and activities. In addition to facts and resources related to youth smoking, the HYSQ Web site features information on the program, its research products and program evaluation. As HYSQ progresses, the Web site plans to include a toolkit for the self-evaluation of programs.

Home Care Research Initiative: Concept Papers on Home Care Policy and Practice
Grant ID: 31099
The Home Care Research Initiative (HCRI) provided support for researchers and policy analysts to explore key issues in the area of home and community-based care for the chronically ill. The initiative encouraged research and policy analysis on three specific topics about home and community-based services for the chronically ill: (1) issues concerning targeting and allocation mechanisms; (2) issues concerning efficiency of delivery approaches; and (3) issues concerning synthesis and consensus development related to existing research and demonstrations. The Web site describes HCRI research projects, commissioned papers and journal articles.

Improving Chronic Illness Care
Grant ID: CDM
RWJF's Improving Chronic Illness Care program is dedicated to assisting large numbers of health systems throughout the United States in transforming their care for patients with chronic illnesses. ICIC's Web site provides health systems with the research evidence, improvement methods and practical tools needed, all utilizing the chronic care model, which summarizes the essential elements for improving care at the community, organization and individual practice levels.

Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research
Grant ID: IHP
The Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research program funds highly qualified individuals to undertake broad studies of the most challenging policy issues in health and health care facing America. Each year, grants of up to $275,000 are awarded to approximately 10 investigators from a variety of disciplines who are affiliated with educational institutions or non-profit organizations located in the United States. Successful proposals combine creative and conceptual thinking with innovative approaches aimed at enhancing understanding of difficult health problems and the complexities of health care delivery and financing. Visit the Web site for more information about the program and its funding opportunities as well as profiles and abstracts of current and past investigators' work.

Partners with Tobacco Use Research Centers: Advancing Transdisciplinary Science and Policy Studies (TTURC)
Grant ID: TRC
The Partners with Tobacco Use Research Centers' and Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Centers' (TTURC) programs represent a collaborative effort among seven federally funded research centers to study new ways of combating tobacco use and nicotine addiction and to translate results and implications of this work for policy-makers, practitioners and the public. Its Web site provides information on these research partners and their research findings, and it highlights news that is relevant to the field of nicotine and tobacco research.

Partnership for Solutions: Better Lives for People with Chronic Conditions
Grant ID: CCO
The Partnership for Solutions is an initiative to improve the care and quality of life for the more than 125 million Americans with chronic health conditions. The Partnership's Web site features information about the problems related to chronic health conditions, promising solutions, statistics and research.

Program of Research to Integrate Substance Use Issues into Mainstream Healthcare (PRISM)
Grant ID: RIM
The overall goal of PRISM is to integrate knowledge and management skills about substance use into mainstream health care. The underlying theory of PRISM is that alcohol and other substances often adversely affect the course of common chronic illnesses and that management of substance use can improve the outcomes of those illnesses. The first stage of the PRISM program is the systematic development of knowledge about the effects of alcohol and drug use on the course, management, outcomes and costs of common chronic illnesses. The first illnesses under study include diabetes, hypertension, sleep disorders, breast cancer, osteoporosis, asthma and chronic pain. PRISM commissions and publishes systematic reviews of the existing literature and also provides small grants to qualified researchers now working in particular diseases to examine substance use effects on those diseases. The PRISM Web site features links to its presentations, commissioned reviews, grants and related publications.

Public Health Informatics Institute
Grant ID: PHI
The goal of the Public Health Informatics Institute is to advance public health practitioners' ability to strategically apply and manage health information systems. The Institute works with public health and health care organizations to collaboratively define the health information problem, analyze business processes, define requirements and develop performance measures. Current work includes projects on child health information systems and laboratory information management systems (LIMS). Go to its Web site to learn more about its work as well as research briefs, case studies and tools related to public health informatics.

Smoke-Free Families
Grant ID: SFP
Smoke-Free Families aims to discover the best ways to help pregnant smokers quit. Its Web site provides up-to-date information on effective, evidence-based treatments for smoking cessation, showcases research currently funded through Smoke-Free Families and provides free resources for researchers, policy makers, health care professionals and family members. The Web site links users to other tobacco and cessation resources, including the National Partnership to Help Pregnant Smokers Quit and the Center for Tobacco Cessation.

State Coverage Initiatives
Grant ID: SHC
The State Coverage Initiatives (SCI) program works with states to plan, execute and maintain health insurance expansions as well as to improve the availability and affordability of health care coverage. Visit the SCI Web site to download SCI publications, state-specific coverage reports and learn more about coverage issues.

Substance Abuse Policy Research Program (SAPRP)
Grant ID: SAPRP
The Substance Abuse Policy Research Program's (SAPRP) mission is to fund substance abuse policy research that can help reduce the harm caused by the use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs in the United States. The goals of the program are to support peer-reviewed research that increases understanding of policies that may reduce harm caused by substance use; to stimulate, help define and inform the policy process with sound scientific information; and to grow the field of substance abuse policy research. The SAPRP Web site provides helpful information about its goals and funded projects, including grantee publication listings and press releases.

The Synthesis Project
The Synthesis Project is an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to produce concise and thought-provoking briefs and reports that translate research findings on perennial health policy questions. By synthesizing what is known, while weighing the strength of the evidence and exposing gaps in current knowledge, the project seeks to give decision-makers reliable information and new insights to inform complex policy decisions. Visit the Web site to view Synthesis briefs and reports.

Tobacco Etiology Research Network (TERN)
Grant ID: DOT
TERN is a collaborative, interdisciplinary research network that aims to:

The TERN Web site highlights this program's plan and research products.

Trust for America's Health
Grant ID: 49850
Trust for America's Health (TFAH) is dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority. Its Web site provides information on state-by-state health issues, policy briefs, news releases and reports related to different health issues facing Americans.