NCHPAD will utilize the grant, the largest in the history of the UAB School of Health Professions, to expand its role as a knowledge translation and implementation science/evaluation center to promote access to health and wellness programs for people with disabilities across the nation.
(Photography: Steve Wood)The National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability at the University of Alabama at Birmingham has received a $25 million grant renewal — the largest in the history of UAB’s School of Health Professions.
NCHPAD, part of the UAB/Lakeshore Research Collaborative, will utilize the grant to expand its role as a knowledge translation and implementation science/evaluation center to promote access to health and wellness programs for people with disabilities across the nation.
“This round of funding really solidifies the vision and dream to establish a center that supports the public health and health services sectors in recognizing and responding to the needs of people with disabilities in all areas of health and wellness,” said James Rimmer, Ph.D., director, UAB/Lakeshore Research Collaborative and Lakeshore Foundation Endowed Chair in Health Promotion and Rehabilitation Sciences. “Our goal is to transform patients into participants. Having a disability is often perceived as someone with poor health. In fact, there are many people with disability who have better health than people without disability.”
Rimmer added there is still so much researchers and health care providers can do to improve quality of life and reduce preventable secondary health conditions in children, adults and seniors with disability.
“This award provides continuous opportunities to make a transformative impact on the lives of people with disabilities,” School of Health Professions Dean Andrew Butler, Ph.D., said. “It is also a testament to the hard work done by our dedicated collaborators.”
Through the grant, Rimmer says, the first strategy is to develop a data coordination center where patients with mobility limitations will then be referred to and enroll in a health-promotion program such as MENTOR, or other community-based programs that are or will be adapted to accommodate people with disabilities.
“The substantial growth in NCHPAD’s funding, which increased from a three-year, $3 million grant in 2012 to a five-year, $25 million grant today, reflects the need for and resilience of the unique collaboration between UAB and Lakeshore,” said Lakeshore President and CEO Jeff Underwood. “This record grant renewal is evidence of the value and impact resulting from the daily collaborations between NCHPAD and Lakeshore Foundation team members here on our campus. This rich environment for mutual learning and the sharing of expertise is tremendously beneficial to everyone.”
James Rimmer, Ph.D.
(Photography: Steve Wood)Rimmer adds that, because of the increased funding, pre-doctoral, post-doctoral and even undergraduates will be able to be involved in some capacity, providing UAB with a unique opportunity to train the next generation of providers in health care, public health and other academic areas.
In addition to Rimmer, several other UAB faculty members will be involved, including:
- Tapan Mehta, Ph.D., associate professor and director of Research, UAB Department of Health Services Administration
- Larry Hearld, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Health Services Administration
- Allyson Hall, Ph.D., professor, Department of Health Services Administration
- Robin Lanzi, Ph.D., MPH, professor, Department of Health Behavior
- Teneasha Washington, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Health Behavior
- Zoe Young, Ph.D., research scientist, School of Health Professions
- Amber Clark, M.D., assistant professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Cassandra Renfro, D.O., assistant professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Byron Lai, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Pediatrics
- Jereme Wilroy, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Drew Sayer, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Nutrition Sciences
- Amy Miskimon Goss, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Nutrition Sciences
- Fnu Harshvardhan, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Physical Therapy
- William Reed, Ph.D., associate professor, Department of Physical Therapy
- Mohanraj Thirumalai, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Health Sciences Administration
At UAB, Rimmer holds the Lakeshore Foundation Endowed Chair in Health Promotion and Rehabilitation Sciences.