Partnership Development Awards provide funding to support project development where awardees focus on building relationships, identifying key stakeholders, determining research questions that are relevant to the community and how the research can positively impact the community. This award provides an opportunity for awardee's to prepare for future funding applications including the ESRN Pilot Award and other research grants.
Dr. Sandy Leotti, Assistant Professor, UW Division of Social Work; Dr. Michelle Jarman, Associate Professor, UW Disability Studies; Dr. Margaret Holland, Assistant professor, UW Division of Social Work
We are currently developing a partnership with the ARK in Laramie to provide a PhotoVoice class to people with disabilities. PhotoVoice is a research methodology for individuals to express themselves using photographs and captions. It was developed to empower marginalized people to incite community change by having them direct research projects in their communities. The purpose of our project is to use PhotoVoice as a means for people with intellectual disabilities and brain injuries to express their perceptions of what community inclusion means to them. The PhotoVoice class will culminate in a public exhibit designed to raise awareness and create an open dialogue about living with a disability in Laramie. Our overarching goals are to deepen our understanding of the conditions and contexts that shape the lives of disabled people in Wyoming, and to inform the development of practices aimed at improving the health and well-being of disabled people.
Dr. Bernard A. Steinman, Associate Professor, University of Wyoming Family and Consumer Sciences; Jeff Clark, Manager, Wyoming Department of Health Aging Division; Mark Kelly, Health Program Specialist, Program Manager and Database Assistant with the Wyoming Department of Health Aging Division, Community Living Section; Dr. Catherine Carrico, Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Director, Wyoming Center on Aging
Supportive housing options are a cornerstone to aging in place. Housing options that are adapted with home-modifications (HM) to accommodate the physical limitations associated with aging, can reduce accidents, assist in addressing caregiving needs, and improve a person’s quality of life. The Wyoming Home Modification Action Coalition (WYHMAC), headed by UW and WDH-AGD, was formed in summer 2021 to provide strong advocacy for and to raise awareness about HMs and their efficacy; to provide training and resources within Wyoming communities that promote development of effective HM; and to conduct quality research to serve as the basis for HM interventions. We expect to develop closer collaborations between partners and with key stakeholder groups that are focused on achieving common HM/falls prevention goals. We expect the relationship to facilitate development of an informed provider network made up of key stakeholders, including RNs, OTs, and remodelers/contractors.
Pilot Awards provide funding to support the develop and implementation of innovative research that identifies and addresses community health challenges.
Dr. Crystal Sieger, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Music Education, University of Wyoming; Lauren Hulit, Music Teacher, Rawlins Elementary K-1 Campus, Carbon County School District No. 1
Dr. Sieger and Ms. Hulit will work together with Rawlins/Carbon County community members to present a series of classes designed to provide a more inclusive music education to students with disabilities. These interactive classes will focus on multi-sensory learning and will utilize adaptive music technologies to increase engagement.
A goal of the research increased understanding within the community, where members are encouraged to be open-minded and to provide input to the researchers regarding their students’ engagement in multi-sensory music learning and the effectiveness of the strategies employed. Researchers hope to develop a model relationship between the UW music education program and school districts to benefit students with disabilities and to prepare future music educators to better serve their needs.
Dr. Michelle L. Blakely, Assistant Professor of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, University of Wyoming; Deb Anderson, CPHIMS, Mountain-Pacific Quality Health, HIT/QI Consultant; Dr. Ryan Jackson, Take Care Utah Director, Utah Health Policy Project
Our community-participatory research project will use qualitative research methods to identify caregivers’ perspectives of healthcare services including what works, what doesn’t work, as well as recognize areas where improvements can be made. Barriers and facilitators to effective healthcare interactions will also be explored.
We will interview caregivers of Wyoming patients with disabilities to obtain their perspectives of healthcare services. This will provide comprehensive insight of healthcare services for patients with disabilities in our state. Furthermore, community engagement will allow unique insights and contextualized understanding to be gleaned regarding perceptions of healthcare services from the community members who participate. This research project is being conducted to improve the health and well-being of underserved/disadvantaged Wyoming residents with disabilities. The results will be used to develop effective strategies to address identified weaknesses/deficiencies and improve the provision of healthcare services in Wyoming for patients with disabilities.