Chronic Disease Prevention and Management
TCER's work around chronic disease involves working with a wide range of program types (e.g. primary prevention, screening, disease management) to make a positive impact on population health. We work with programs that operate on a variety of levels and in a variety of settings. Evaluation experts partner with organizations and agencies to help plan, implement, and evaluate programming in ways that both fit clients' needs and help achieve meaningful progress.
Cancer Control
TCER staff have worked extensively with several organizations and agencies in Iowa connected to cancer prevention and control efforts. We have assisted with applications for competitive funding opportunities, developed program logic models, and evaluated programming ranging from screening service provision to health communication campaigns. We have also investigated the role of partnerships in achieving meaningful change across several multi-year, statewide projects.
Nutrition and Physical Activity
TCER's work around nutrition and physical activity has ranged from investigations of new interventions to evaluations of ongoing programs to ensure continuous quality improvement.
Rural Health
TCER's work around health services includes investigations of clinical, hospital/health system, and community-level data that help assist program-level staff in everything from competitive grant writing to program planning and expansion.
Maternal and Child Health
TCER staff have worked on the implementation and evaluation of many family health and family support programs and projects including Maternal Infant Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV), Project LAUNCH (Linking Actions for Unmet Needs in Children’s Health), Healthy Start, and SAMHSA Systems of Care projects.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse
In addition to long-term service on the Mental Health Planning Council, mental health and substance abuse have been the focus of many research and evaluation projects at TCER. The Strengthening Communities – Youth project, Project LAUNCH, and a host of projects including and targeting reduction and treatment of serious emotional disorders and substance abuse diagnosis and treatment have advanced knowledge of more effective health service systems.
Aging
TCER has collaborated with a variety of organizations around evaluation and research projects related to aging and elder care. It has collaborated with the Iowa Department on Aging to explore the capacity of the state to provide for individual, systems, and performance measures in response to the Proposed National Evaluation Framework. Other projects include the development of a family development matrix for aging, work with the Aging and Disability Resource Centers, falls prevention coalition building and education, oral health care among the elderly who are homebound or in residential care, and a network analysis of collaboration in the Growing Bolder nutrition network.
Health Disparities
TCER houses the Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC) Resource Center; Brad Richardson, PhD, is DMC Coordinator for the DMC Resource Center. The DMC Resource Center serves efforts to reduce disproportionality and over-representation of minority youth and children in the juvenile justice, child welfare and related systems by providing evaluation, data analysis, information, training and technical assistance.