The University of Louisville Alumni Magazine: for alumni, faculty, staff, students and anyone that is a UofL Cardinal fan.
Issue link: https://louisville.epubxp.com/i/535203
4 2 | L O U I S V I L L E . E D U Highlights Commonwealth Institute of Kentucky to address health issues and disparities As Kentucky struggles to overcome health risks such as obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco and drug use, as well as social factors like unemployment, pov- erty and violence, the School of Public Health and Information Sciences (SPHIS) has established the Commonwealth Institute of Kentucky to address health disparities. Through a three-year, $4 million investment from KentuckyOne Health, the institute serves as a col- laborative for population health improvement, policy and analytics. "The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is redef ning health and health care. Addressing Kentucky's health issues in this climate requires a multi-level approach, and that is what we plan to accomplish," said Craig Blakely, PhD, MPH, dean, SPHIS. The primary operations of the institute include data warehousing and analytics, community-based research, health policy support and education. The initiative brings together the resources of the Kentucky State Data Center, along with their UofL staff and the Off ce of Health Policy in the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Three initial projects are supported through this investment: • Develop and pilot new neighborhood-focused health literacy interventions • Examine and improve ACA rollout in Jefferson County • Address enormous cost of neighborhood violence through grassroots efforts with youth Lost no more One of the Lost Boys of Sudan, Mawut Mach (right) spent most of his childhood in refugee camps. His journey to Louisville led to a UofL bachelor's degree in justice administration and, in May, a master's degree in social work. He received the university's Alice Eaves Barns Award for outstanding achieve- ment through tenacity in the face of adversity. Besides his Kent School of Social Work men- tors, he credits much of his success to Martha Clark (left) of Oldham County, a retired English teacher who met with him weekly and offered extensive online help to improve his written communication skills. "He's a walking miracle," said Clark, who received an appreciation plaque at the Kent awards ceremony. "I'm grateful to have walked with him through this journey." SCHOOL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY AND GRADUATE STUDIES SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND INFORMATION SCIENCES Prestigious Chronicle of Higher Education praises PLAN model The Chronicle of Higher Education heaped praise on the School of Interdis- ciplinary and Graduate Studies (SIGS) in March for its innovative, f ve- year-old program that helps graduate students prepare for their profes- sional lives. Calling SIGS "far- sighted," the Chronicle described the PLAN (professional develop- ment, life skills, aca- demic development and networking) program, launched in 2009, as a model for the kind of comprehensive profes- sionalization program all graduate students need. Beth Boehm and Ghanashyam (Shyam) Sharma, PLAN's archi- tects, feature prominently in the article. "Programs like Louisville's point the way forward for graduate schools. Broadly con- ceived professionalism can no longer be the sole province of 'applied' f elds like business or engineering," the Chronicle said. PLAN serves more students with more workshops, academies and classes than ever, according to Michelle Rodems, the program manager. In addition to a grant-writing academy and a graduate teaching assistant academy, PLAN this year added an entre- preneurship academy. Participants and facilitators in the Graduate Teaching Assistant Academy, part of SIGS' PLAN program, build a spaghetti tower to apply collaborative learning and group work concepts. Johnson leads Department of Health Management and Systems Sciences Christopher E. Johnson, PhD, is the new chair of the Depart- ment of Health Management and Systems Sciences, joining UofL from the University of Washington. "Chris brings incredible energy to the table," said Craig Blakely, PhD, MPH, dean of the School of Public Health and Information Sciences. "His ex- pertise in health policy and health services research on cost and access will be an excellent addition to the school. Under his lead- ership, we will be building both the policy and management sides of the department." Johnson is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a former infantry offi cer in the United States Marine Corps. He received his PhD in Health Services Research, Policy and Administration from the University of Minnesota. RAYMOND A. KENT SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK Johnson