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Public Health Services and Systems Research (PHSSR)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Program Overview
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) seeks to expand the evidence base for effective public health policy and practice through investment in Public Health Services and Systems Research (PHSSR). RWJF is supporting this field of research to improve population health and eliminate health disparities through evidence-based enhancements in the public health system.
The National Network of Public Health Institutes (NNPHI) is serving as the Administrative Service Organization (ASO) and will facilitate the call for proposals for this program.
About PHSSR
Public Health Services and Systems Research (PHSSR) is a multi-disciplinary “field of study that examines the organization, financing, and delivery of public health services within communities and the impact of those services on the health of the public.”[i] PHSSR provides evidence on how to organize and deliver public health services effectively and efficiently and supports the following Robert Wood Johnson Foundation public health strategies:
- Build the evidence for what works to improve the quality and effectiveness of public health practice and policy;
- Improve the performance and impact of the public health system—which includes public health agencies, businesses, health and health care organizations, faith-based groups, and community advocates; and
- Increase the demand for and the use of public health policies and practices that improve health
A primary aim of PHSSR is to provide evidence that informs real world decisions made by practitioners, organizations, policy-makers, funders, and communities at the local, state, and national levels to protect the public’s health and promote healthy communities. As a result, PHSSR findings can inform critical decisions which improve preparedness, community and clinical prevention, and the management of chronic diseases to promote healthier places to live, work, learn and play.
[i] Mays, G. P., Halverson, P. K., & Scutchfield FD. Behind the curve? What we know and need to learn from public health systems research. J Public Health Manag Pract 2003;9:179-82.
Congratulations to the newest PHSSR grantees:
On April 29, 2010, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced seven new grants that will help build evidence on how best to improve the quality and performance of the United States public health system. Funds from these grants will be used to study some of the most complex and important issues facing the public health field. The seven investigators and their funded projects include:
- Susan Allan at the University of Washington will compare characteristics of public health systems to identify those associated with effective detection, investigation and control of diseases and outbreaks. This project will build on recent work by key state and local public health organizations and will also incorporate aspects of the recently developed accreditation standards for state, local and tribal health departments.
- Beverly Mulvihill at the University of Alabama at Birmingham will identify and address factors affecting interagency collaboration for the maternal and child health population within state and local agencies and the Indian Health Care System (IHCS). The project will help to identify effective models and best practices to improve systems of care, and ultimately health status indicators, for American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) mothers and their children.
- Mahmud Khan at Tulane University will examine whether the implementation of partner notification is a cost-effective option as part of sexually transmitted disease (STD) control activities and if so, determine the optimal way that the Louisiana STD Control Program should conduct partner notification. The findings of this project will help improve financing of STD control programs as well as resource allocation in STD control activities.
- Timothy Brown at the University of California, Berkeley will determine the return on investment (ROI) from public health activities within California and for the Alameda County Department of Public Health, taking into account variations among racial/ethnic groups. Findings from this project will enable local health departments to accurately judge which types of programs most benefit their local populations.
- Hector Rodriguez at the University of California, Los Angeles will examine how local health department (LHD) organizational structure and financing affect chronic disease and injury outcomes of older adults. This project will inform policymakers of more effective ways to support public health infrastructure and help LHDs prioritize the most effective methods for addressing the health outcomes of this vulnerable and growing segment of the population.
- Alana Knudson at the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago will analyze and compare data collected from state, local and tribal health departments. The findings of this study will help gauge what type and level of support are needed to strengthen public health infrastructure, improve quality, decrease disparities and prepare tribal health departments for accreditation.
- Michael Fiore at the University of Wisconsin will investigate how reducing tobacco control funding affects the public’s health. The findings will help policymakers better understand the impact of investment in tobacco control on tobacco-related diseases and other health outcomes.
May 12, 2010 Grantee Webinar
- Click here to view the slides; Access the full recording here:
How to Apply
The next Call for Proposals will be released November, 2010.
If you have questions about the application process, please contact a member of the ASO staff at 504-301-9854 or phssr@nnphi.org.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Click here to see a list of frequently asked questions. Note: These FAQs apply to the 2009-2010 round of funding.
Datasets
Applicants interested in using these datasets should request access as soon as possible. Confirmation of release is not required prior to the brief proposal deadline.
Association of State & Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)
State Public Health Survey 2007, 2010 (available January 2011)
Minority Health Survey 2007, 2010 (available March 2011)
Salary Survey 2005, 2010 (available as part of 2010 State Public Health Survey)
Workforce Survey 2007, 2010 (available as part of 2010 State Public Health Survey)
National Association of City & County Health Officials (NACCHO)
NACCHO Profile 1989-1990, 1992-1993, 1996-1997, 2005
NACCHO survey in the field Spring 2010
Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)
NACCHO Profile 2008 (available May 2010)
ASTHO State Public Health Survey 2007 (available May 2010)
Key Dates
- The next Call for Proposals will be released in November 2010.