Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)/Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) – “Eliminating Mental Health Disparities.” CMHS has undertaken a major initiative to eliminate disparities in mental health services. The mission of the project is to ensure that services and supports are accessible and culturally and linguistically competent (CLC) to meet the mental health needs of diverse populations. AFYA is designing and implementing various outreach and communications programs. We are coordinating policy development and working to engage communities and expand partnerships by facilitating and maintaining channels of communication with CMHS stakeholders. AFYA designs and sponsors key events, such as a Policy Academy (where leaders from selected States meet to develop long-term action plans for eliminating mental health disparities); Leadership Academies; and meetings of several EMHD workgroups. AFYA also oversees the subcontractor who maintains the EMHD web site (www.emhd.us).

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American Lung Association of the District of Columbia (ALADC) – “Evaluation of the DC Tobacco-Free Families Campaign.” AFYA is evaluating major components of the DC Tobacco Free Families (DCTFF) Campaign, a comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation campaign committed to reducing and eliminating the death and disease caused by tobacco use in the District of Columbia, particularly among low-income and medically underserved populations. AFYA supports ALADC by coordinating, executing, and evaluating the range of activities within the four campaign components, which are based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) evidenced-based best practices. AFYA has developed an evaluation plan and constructed comprehensive logic models around DCTFF campaign and partnership goals, designed and developed evaluation instruments, and performed content analysis of relevant documents.

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Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)/Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) – “Evaluate the “100% Access/Zero Health Disparities Campaign.” AFYA used case study methodology to examine a selected sample of Campaign communities to identify lessons learned and best practices. Using telephone interviews and site visits, we assessed the success that programs were having developing collaborative relationships, restructuring service delivery systems, and expanding access to the base of primary care providers. Results of the assessment were used to further develop this BPHC initiative and to identify model approaches that would serve as benchmarks for future Campaign communities.

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Office of Minority Health (OMH)/HHS – “Develop Uniform Formats for a 5-Year Consolidated Plan and an Annual Performance Report for the Minority Health Initiatives.” AFYA supported efforts to establish a uniform data-reporting format for four HHS Minority Initiatives. The goal was to develop a format that documents and promotes the interrelationships among the programs. AFYA developed a template for a 5-year consolidated plan and recommendations for an annual reporting process and format. Data collection techniques included a comprehensive source document review and one-on-one interviews.

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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) – “Study of Highway Safety Needs of Predominately Black Communities.”  Under a subcontract, AFYA research staff helped design and conduct a study to identify the factors that impact driving practices in the Black population. The project involved extensive reviews of NHTSA data and in-person interviews with regional NHTSA staff and representatives from community-based organizations. AFYA recruited focus group participants, developed the moderator guide and trained moderators, conducted the focus groups, analyzed the data, and prepared the final report.