2012-2013 Annual Report

ADVANCING A HEALTHIER WISCONSIN ENDOWMENT

2

 

A LETTER FROM THE MCW CONSORTIUM .......................................................................................... 3 OVERVIEW OF THE AHW ENDOWMENT ............................................................................................. 4 AHW Framework…………………………………………………………………………………..5 Governance ............................................................................................................................ 6 Principles of Stewardship ....................................................................................................... 7 HEALTHIER WISCONSIN PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM ........................................................................... 8 Funding Priorities ..................................................................................................................... 8 Educational Opportunities and Technical Assistance ................................................... 10 Funding Cycle Process ........................................................................................................ 11 Summary of 8th Funding Cycle Awarded Projects ........................................................ 12 Summary of Completed Projects ...................................................................................... 13 HWPP Project Profile ............................................................................................................. 14 SPECIAL CONSORTIUM INITIATIVE: VIOLENCE PREVENTION ........................................................ 16 Holton Youth and Family Center Collaborative .............................................................. 17 United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee ................................................................. 17 Ripple Effect Milwaukee: Spreading Peace and Building Communities .................... 18 Safe Schools Healthy Students Lindsay Heights Initiative .............................................. 18 RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM ........................................................................................ 19 Research and Education Program (REP) Funding Priorities .......................................... 19 Research and Education Advisory Committee .............................................................. 20 Funding and Review Process Overview ........................................................................... 21 Funded REP Projects ............................................................................................................ 22 REP Project Profile ................................................................................................................. 23 AHW FIVE-YEAR PLAN INPUT PROCESS ........................................................................................... 24 GENERAL ............................................................................................................................................. 24 FUND MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................................ 25 Investment Summary ........................................................................................................... 25 Financial Statements ............................................................................................................ 26

Intro

du

ctio

n

3

 

A LETTER FROM THE MCW CONSORTIUM The 2013 Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Annual Report provides us the opportunity to pause and reflect on the year’s successes and look forward to the exciting opportunities for the year ahead.

The new and completed awards within these pages tell much of the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin endowment’s story from July 2012 to June 2013. These awards fostered new partnerships and gave life to innovative ideas for advancing the health of Wisconsin through public and community health improvement, scientific discovery and enhanced education.

The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin endowment continues to support the community-academic partnership model that brings together the community knowledge and experience of community-based organizations with the academic expertise and rigorous analysis practiced by the Medical College of Wisconsin’s faculty members. The $4.5 million that the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program awarded to new projects this year will support 67 partners on 12 projects as they work to improve the health of the state’s residents.

In addition to support for new community health partnership projects, the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin endowment experienced the following highlights from July 2012 to June 2013:

Education and Partnership Development More than 400 individuals attended two conferences focused on best practices in public and community health improvement, including, Leading the Way, which was held jointly with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health’s Wisconsin Partnership Program.

Leveraged Resources Projects that completed during this reporting period leveraged approximately $8.8 million in additional resources from external funders. These funds help sustain and expand efforts to improve health.

Launched Process for 2014-18 AHW Five-Year Plan To support the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin endowment’s strategic planning, the MCW Consortium and endowment staff used a diverse set of methods to solicit feedback from more than 250 individuals.

As we look back, we cannot help but also project to the year ahead. Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin is embarking toward a major milestone and a turning point in the road to a healthier Wisconsin. During the next year, Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin will celebrate its ten-year anniversary and begin implementation of the 2014-18 Five-Year Plan.

The anniversary will provide an additional opportunity to examine the endowment’s past and will inform a future in which Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin continues to drive the collaboration, innovation and transformation needed to make Wisconsin healthier over the next ten years.

Cheryl A. Maurana, PhD Director of the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment Vice President for Strategic Outreach Professor of Population Health

Paula Lucey, RN Chair of the MCW Consortium on Public and Community Health

4

 

OVERVIEW OF THE AHW ENDOWMENT The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin (AHW) endowment is dedicated in its entirety, and in perpetuity, to improving the health of the people in Wisconsin through three complementary components.

Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program (HWPP), which supports community-MCW academic partnerships that address public and community health improvement through a competitive Request for Proposal process as well as MCW Consortium-directed special initiatives.

Research initiatives that address the leading causes of death and disability in Wisconsin through the development of focused interdisciplinary research programs.

Education initiatives that support innovative programs that enhance the education of patients, public health professionals, health care providers, residents, fellows, and medical and graduate students.

The MCW Consortium recognizes that all three components are necessary to improve the health of the people of Wisconsin.

AHW dedicates 35 percent of funds for HWPP and 65 percent of funds for research and education initiatives.

The AHW funding allocation remains unless it is increased or decreased by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of all MCW Consortium members at the

time an AHW Five-Year Plan is approved. However, as required by the Grant Agreement, the MCW Consortium evaluates the allocation as part of its annual review process.

On May 2, 2013, the MCW Consortium unanimously approved maintaining the 65 percent Research and Education and 35 percent HWPP distribution.

About this Annual Report The Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc. (MCW) and the MCW Consortium on Public and Community Health, Inc. (MCW Consortium) are pleased to present the tenth annual report on the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin (AHW) endowment.

This report reflects MCW Consortium’s commitment to, and compliance with, the documents established to guide its stewardship: the State of Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance Final Decision and Order, issued March 2000; the Grant Agreement, issued March 2004; the first AHW Five-Year Plan dated April 2003 and the plan Addendum dated December 2003; and, the AHW 2009-2014 Five-Year Plan dated January 2009.

These documents guide the process by which MCW received and now stewards proceeds from the conversion of Blue Cross and Blue Shield United of Wisconsin from a non-profit company to a stock insurance corporation.

This report addresses all activities and expenditures relevant to AHW from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013. The MCW Consortium appreciates this opportunity to report on the past year of activities funded by the AHW endowment and focused on making Wisconsin a healthier state.

Investment Strategy The AHW funds are invested with the Medical College of Wisconsin Endowment Funds using a diversified asset allocation strategy that includes money market funds held by external investment managers, marketable debt and equity securities, bond and equity mutual funds, commingled bond and equity funds, other equity securities, and accrued interest and dividends thereon and are reported at fair value.

5

 

Principles of Stewardship • Collaboration • Prioritization • Leverage • Accountability

• Transformation • Building Academic and Community Strengths • New Knowledge

Inclusive Process • Health Trends (local, state, national)

• Public Participation

• MCW Consortium on Public & Community Health

Three Complementary Components ($160.3M* for 300 projects)

Educational Leadership for the Health of the Public**

37 Projects $20.9M

Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program

143 Projects $43.8M

Research for a Healthier Tomorrow**

120 Projects $95.6M

Education and training to enhance the capacity of:

• Public Health Professionals • Health Providers, Patients and Consumers • MPH Expansion • PhD in Public and Community Health • Medical, graduate and resident education

Through community-academic partnerships:

• Address leading health risks and priorities • Focus on specific populations

• Prevent causes of death and disability

Consortium Initiative on Youth Violence Prevention

Through basic, clinical, applied and translational research, address leading causes of death and disability, including:

• Cardiovascular Disease

• Cancer • Neuroscience

• Genetics

• Population Health

• Clinical and Translational

• Imaging, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics

Outcomes • Improved Health of the People of Wisconsin • Strengthened Community Capacity • Leadership in Public Health

*Totals reflect figures for those projects reviewed by the MCW Consortium on Public and Community Health and approved by the MCW Board of Trustees for the period ending June 30, 2013. Figures represent budget reductions incorporated during the 2008-2009 fiscal year. **AHW has had, and will continue to have, distinct Research priorities and Education priorities. These priorities are now managed under one program called the Research and Education program. This change will be reflected in the framework for the 2014-2018 AHW Five-Year Plan.

• Decrease rates of violence in identified areas of Milwaukee, and, possibly, other areas of Wisconsin • Strengthen community capacity to prevent future violence

FRAMEWORK AH

W O

vervie

w

6

 

JOY TAPPER, MPA Executive Director, Milwaukee Health Care Partnership

The Milwaukee Health Care Partnership is a public/private consortium dedicated to improving health care for underserved populations in Milwaukee County. Under Ms. Tapper, the Partnership has developed into an effective, respected, nationally recognized and sustainable organization that has mobilized member resources.

JOHN R. RAYMOND, SR., MD President and Chief Executive Officer, MCW

CHERYL A. MAURANA, PHD Vice President for Strategic Outreach, MCW

Dr. Maurana is the Vice President for Strategic Outreach, Director of the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin endowment, and Professor of Health and Society. Dr. Maurana has received national recognition for public health research and for developing community-academic partnerships.

PAULA A. LUCEY, RN, MCSN (CHAIR) Consultant, Lamplighter Consulting

Ms. Lucey provides administrative leadership for the public mental health sector, including strategic planning, quality and fiscal accountability, and operations management.

JOSEPH E. KERSCHNER, MD Dean and Executive Vice President, MCW

ELIZABETH ‘LIESKE’ GIESE, RN, MSPH Health Officer/Director, Eau Claire City/County Health Department

For more than 20 years, Ms. Giese has worked to improve public health through education, training, research, assessment and service. She has worked on behalf of health with the private sector, local public health, education and state public health.

GENYNE EDWARDS, JD Principal Consultant, WOO Connections

Ms. Edwards has spent her professional career working to create positive social change through policy, social advocacy and community engagement. Edwards is recognized in the Milwaukee community through her work with Community Advocates, Inc., the City of Milwaukee Department of City Development, Cardinal Stritch University Leadership Center, Walnut Way Conservation Corp.,, and Marquette University.

G. ALLEN BOLTON, JR., MBA, MPH Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, MCW

Mr. Bolton has more than 24 years of experience in healthcare management and administration. He is active in the community with the American Cancer Society, Cub Scouts and the Boy Scouts of America, and Habitat for Humanity.

BEVAN BAKER, FACHE Commissioner of Health, City of Milwaukee Health Department

Mr. Baker serves as the city's Chief Advisor on health, responsible for providing leadership and oversight of the agency's departments in their collective efforts to promote the health and well-being of the people of Milwaukee.

Dr. Kerschner is the Dean of the Medical School and Executive Vice President of the Medical College of Wisconsin. He is Professor of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences. Dr. Kerschner maintains an active clinical practice and is recognized as a national expert in pediatric otolaryngology. He has been named to the American’s Best Doctors list the past several years.

Dr. Raymond is the recipient of 2009 Marcy Speer Outstanding Reviewer Award from the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Center for Scientific Review, the highest honor for extraordinary commitment to peer review of NIH grant applications. A practicing nephrologist who plays active roles in clinical care, teaching, and faculty mentorship, Dr. Raymond is also a medical researcher studying the basic mechanisms of kidney cell function.

The MCW Consortium formed in 2002 as a non-stock, non-profit corporation whose purpose is to fulfill the obligations of the Public and Community Health Oversight and Advisory Committee as described in the March 2000 Insurance Commissioner’s Order. The MCW Consortium meets on a monthly basis and conducts itself in

accordance with its bylaws and Wisconsin Open Meetings and Public Records Laws. The Consortium provides oversight for the 35 percent of the funding dedicated for HWPP and advises on the 65 percent of funding dedicated for Research and Education Program initiatives.

MCW Consortium on Public and Community Health GOVERNANCE

7

 

PRINCIPLES OF STEWARDSHIP The MCW Consortium established a set of guiding principles to support AHW initiatives that strive to improve the health of the people of Wisconsin.

COLLABORATION

PRIORITIZATION NEW KNOWLEDGE

LEVERAGE ACCOUNTABILITY

BUILDING ACADEMIC AND

COMMUNITY STRENGTHS

TRANSFORMATION

Collaboration: Supporting effective collaboration between community and MCW partners to broaden program impact throughout the state and to enhance the translation of knowledge into community practice.

Prioritization: Aiming to have maximum impact on the health of the people of Wisconsin by deliberately focusing on disease and conditions that most affect people’s health, longevity and quality of life.

Leverage: Seeking opportunities to leverage funding, with an emphasis on pooling existing resources, attracting additional resources and encouraging sustainability.

Building Academic and Community Strengths: Developing new extramural research and education grants, publications and faculty recruitment, broadening partnership opportunities and advancing a more personalized approach to medicine.

New Knowledge: Promoting academic excellence through the discovery of new knowledge through the creation of interdisciplinary research centers, integrated clinical research networks and population and community health.

Accountability: Measuring and accounting for outcomes through effective oversight and rigorous evaluation by including comprehensive involvement of affected communities. AHW funding will result in outcomes that are identifiable, transparent and reported to AHW and the greater community through regular and annual reports.

Transformation: Effecting systemic change by emphasizing prevention, innovation and capacity-building. Identifying initiatives that will enhance the health of our community through research, education and service, locally, statewide and, indirectly, nationally and internationally.

These principles are designed to provide a foundation and framework for stewardship and include:

PRINCIPLES OF STEWARDSHIP

AH

W O

vervie

w

8

 

HEALTHIER WISCONSIN PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM The vision of the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program (HWPP) is to improve the health of the people of Wisconsin by funding community-MCW academic partnership projects that address public and community health promotion and disease prevention initiatives through two types of awards (as per the AHW 2009-2014 Five-Year Plan):

Development Awards generally fund planning, evaluation or pilot activities related to the formation or

development of a partnership, project and/or program, or, the evaluation or implementation of capacity-building strategies aimed at strengthening organizations, sectors or systems.

Impact Awards These awards generally fund partnership activities related to the implementation of a health promotion or health prevention project, program and/or partnership with significant impact, or, the implementation of capacity

building strategies that will have significant impact on a health-related organization, sector or system.

All HWPP funded projects propose transformational ways to improve the health of Wisconsin’s citizens, focusing on health promotion and disease prevention while also recognizing the significant role of building capacity and strengthening systems in an effort to reach those goals.

FUNDING PRIORTIIES HWPP is grounded by three core components: Health Improvement Priorities, Community-MCW Academic Partnerships and the HWPP Program Evaluation Model. Together, these

components ensures that funded projects are consistent with HWPP’s overall vision and intended outcomes.

components outline the rationale for, and the value of, partnership activities and the outcomes that these activities are intended to achieve. Alignment with the HWPP core

Infrastructure Focus Areas to Transform Health Improvements Access to high-quality health services

Collaborative partnerships for community health improvement

Diverse, sufficient and competent workforce that promotes and protects health

Emergency preparedness, response and recovery

Health literacy

Public health capacity and quality

Public health leadership and policy

Systems to manage and share health information and knowledge

Adequate, appropriate and safe food and nutrition

Alcohol and other drug use

Cancer

Chronic disease prevention and management (arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, stroke, other)

Communicable disease prevention and control

Environmental and occupational health

Populations Affected Children and adolescents

Disabled

Men

Racial and ethnic populations

Rural

Seniors

Uninsured

Urban

Women

Health Focus Areas Healthy growth and development

Injury and violence

Mental health

Oral health

Physical activity

Reproductive and sexual health

Tobacco use and exposure

Other (with specification)

9

 

Understanding the Environment for Partnerships • Respect for the past

• Knowledge of the needs and barriers

• Importance of broad-based support

• Commitment from leadership

• Understanding of both individual attitudes and organizational structures

• Awareness of the economics of the situation

• Role of ongoing evaluation and feedback

• Need for tangible returns on investment

• Trust, respect, genuineness

• Shared mission and goals

• Commitment by all partners

• Attainable, measurable objectives

• Focus on strengths and assets

• Open communication

• Flexibility and compromise

• Shared resources and credit

Commitment to Partnership Projects

• Assess needs and resources

• Develop compatible goals

• Develop and implement programs

• Provide continuous feedback

• Assess outcomes

• Maintain and expand progress

Partnership Development

COMMUNITY-ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIP MODEL The partnership requirement is based on the premise that community-academic partnerships will capitalize on the strengths and unique skills of both community-based organizations and MCW faculty, staff and students.

HWPP PROGRAM EVALUATION MODEL The HWPP Program Evaluation Model lays the foundation for the evaluation of HWPP as a whole. The Program Evaluation Model provides a framework for individually funded projects to connect their project-level

efforts to the overall activities and and outcomes of the larger program. As funded projects identify how their activities and outcomes fit the model, HWPP will be able to describe how the

funded projects, taken together, advance the intended outcomes of the overall HWPP funding initiative.

He

alth

ier W

isco

nsin

Partn

ersh

ip Pro

gra

m

*Adapted from: Maurana, C. Building Effective Partnerships with Wisconsin Communities, Wisconsin Medical Journal, Vol. 99, No. 1, 31-32, January/February 2000. Maurana, C, et al. How Principles of Partnerships are Applied to the Development of a Community-Campus Partnership, In: Connors K and Seifer S (editors), Partnership Perspectives, Vol. 1, Issue 1, 47-53. San Francisco, CA: Community-Campus Partnerships for Health, 1998. Available for reference at: http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/

10

 Components of the Program Evaluation Model include:

assumptions underlying HWPP’s approach to public and community health improvement;

project-level partnership and

combined efforts of the projects funded; and,

long-term outcomes expected over time from the efforts of HWPP in conjunction with other statewide health initiatives.

programming activities; immediate outcomes expected

within two to five years from the project-level activities;

intermediate outcomes expected in five to 10 years from the

Assumptions Activities Immediate Outcomes (2-5 years)

Intermediate Outcomes (5-10 years)

Long Term Outcomes (10-15 years)

Partnerships are necessary because no one organization or institution has the resources, access and trust relationships needed to address the wide range of determinants of public health problems.1

Community residents and community leaders are a crucial part of the public health system for identifying need and responses to need and for evaluating results.

Communities benefit from programs based on knowledge of evidence-based practices and population-based prevention research.

Community – MCW academic partnerships that:

1. Share leadership for policy change, system improvement and/or workforce development.

2. Are committed to a comprehensive approach to prevention.

3. Collaborate in population-based prevention research, community-based participatory research, or translational research.

4. Develop and share resources.

5. Teach and learn together about best practices and the causes of disease and disability.

Development of new and sustainable relationships that address community prevention needs and leverage resources.

Partners who are engaged in, involved with, and learning from the larger health promotion and prevention community.

Development of new knowledge about best practices in prevention.

Programs reaching larger numbers of individuals and families with messages that are useful to them.

Programs that address local needs of the targeted population in ways that are culturally sensitive and inclusive.

Programs that are informed by research, evaluation and systematic data collection.

Changed individual behaviors.

Changes in the environment that establish and maintain healthy behaviors.

A more inclusive public health system that reaches more people with improved prevention programming.

Through synergy with other initiatives,2 contribute to reducing the burden of illness and injury, enhancing the quality of life, and increasing longevity, while also saving lives and resources.3

The partnerships will develop innovative programming that:

1. Is informed by the expertise of all partners. 2. Builds on existing prevention and health

education services. 3. Identifies and incorporates culturally and

community sensitive approaches to prevention. 4. Is guided by community input to identify local

needs, to develop responses to local needs and to evaluate the responses to local need.

5. Makes use of local population-based data. 6. Reflects what is known about the causes of

disease and disability.

1 “Public health” refers to “population health … focused on the broader determinants of health in communities, such as prevention efforts to promote healthy life styles for women, children, and families; disease prevention and control; and control of environmental agents that negatively impact health” (Office of the Commissioner of Insurance, Case No. 99-C26038, March, 2000).

2 “Other initiatives” include MCW’s Advancing A Healthier Wisconsin components and other statewide health initiatives.

3 As cited in Healthiest Wisconsin 2010, Executive Summary (pg. 9), the outcomes resulting from addressing the eleven health priorities.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Medicine and Public Health’s Wisconsin Partnership Program. Leading the Way featured presenters from community health, research and education projects.

From March 2013 to May 2013, HWPP provided additional educational opportunities through a webinar series that included presentations on collaboration, dissemination and evaluation.

Sixty individuals attended two Letter of Intent (LOI) submission assistance

sessions held by HWPP staff for the 9th Funding Cycle. The sessions were offered between February 18 and 19, 2013 via in-person trainings with simultaneous delivery via web-based/teleconference technology.

Staff held two technical assistance sessions on May 13 and May 16, 2013 for applicants invited to submit a full proposal. Fifty-three individuals attended the sessions either in-person or via web-based/teleconference delivery

During this reporting period, more than 400 individuals attended two HWPP conferences to network, share accomplishments and disseminate best practices in community health improvement, research and education.

For more information, please view the online conference proceedings for the February 2013 community engagement conference, Learning from the Past, Focusing on the Future, and the September 2012 event, Leading the Way, held jointly with the University of Wisconsin School of

11

 H

ea

lthie

r Wisc

on

sin Pa

rtne

rship

Prog

ram

FUNDING CYCLE PROCESS 8th Funding Cycle

Full proposals for the 8th Funding Cycle were received on July 31, 2012. Of the 55 proposals that submitted a Letter of Intent, eight Impact and 19 Development projects were invited to submit a full proposal.

9th Funding Cycle

On February 8, 2013 HWPP released a Request for Proposals for health improvement and prevention projects for its 9th Funding Cycle.

The Letter of Intent deadline was March 15, 2013. Letters of Intent were received for 62 proposals. Fourteen (14) Impact projects and forty-eight (48) Development projects were submitted.

The MCW Consortium Subcommittee review process began on April 4, 2013. Members submitted their scores on May 7, 2013 for tabulation and prioritization for discussion at a

May 17, 2013 Subcommittee meeting in which the Subcommittee recommended 27 LOIs, six Impact and 21 Development, be invited to submit a full proposal. The full MCW Consortium approved the recommendation on June 6, 2013.

Full proposals for the 9th Funding Cycle were received on June 28, 2013.

COMPETITIVE, MULTI-LEVEL REVIEW PROCESS Proposal Review Process The review process for HWPP funding is a highly competitive process that includes a detailed, multi-level, qualitative and quantitative assessment. The numeric score assigned to proposals, complemented by discussion and critique at each level of the review process, is used to prioritize proposals for funding. Projects funded by HWPP are those that rank high in both qualitative and quantitative measures and reflect the MCW Consortium’s Principles of Stewardship and the program’s core components.

Criteria used to assess projects include, but are not limited to:

understanding of the specific population to be served by the project;

clarity of the health priority to be addressed;

innovation and effectiveness of the proposed strategy and how it would change current systems;

evidence of an authentic community-MCW academic partnership;

a reasonable and cost-efficient budget; and,

a realistic plan to sustain program activities after HWPP funding is completed.

In addition to the criteria above, full proposals are reviewed at the following levels:

Technical Review Full proposals are screened by HWPP staff to determine that all eligibility, content and submission requirements are fulfilled. Ineligible projects are not advanced to the National Merit Review. All proposals are also reviewed for supplanting through the MCW Controller’s Office.

National Merit Review Full proposals are reviewed by a panel of National Merit Reviewers who are experienced community and academic leaders from outside the state of Wisconsin. Each proposal is assigned to multiple reviewers who conduct a detailed analysis of each section of the proposal, considering the strengths and limitations of the project and partnership. Each of the reviewers individually provides a numeric score, written critique and overall funding recommendation.

Comments from the National Merit Reviewers are provided to applicants following the completed review process. Comments, scores and funding recommendations from the National Merit Reviewers are forwarded to the MCW Consortium.

MCW Consortium The MCW Consortium's review is based not only on merit and feedback from the National Merit Reviewers, but also on the relevance of the proposal to the MCW Consortium's Principles of Stewardship and the program’s core components. All proposals recommended for funding by the MCW Consortium are then forwarded to the MCW Board of Trustees.

MCW Board of Trustees The MCW Board of Trustees reviews the recommendations made by the MCW Consortium and approves the funding determinations.

12

 

SUMMARY OF 8TH FUNDING CYCLE AWARDED PROJECTS

Fostering Futures

$200,000 ◊ 1/1/2013 – 12/31/2014

To develop a plan to translate scientific evidence about adverse childhood experiences, trauma-informed care and resiliency into practice within systems of care that impact Wisconsin children and families receiving child welfare services. Casey Family Programs Fresh Start Counseling Services, Inc. Fostering Hope Foundation Office of the First Lady SET Ministry, Inc. St. Aemilian-Lakeside University of Wisconsin-Madison School of

Medicine and Public Health Wisconsin Department of Children and

Families MCW Department of Pediatrics – Lynn

Sheets, MD Impacting Positive Youth Development in Rusk County Through Prevention and Intervention

$200,000 ◊ 1/1/2013 – 12/31/2014

This project explores the feasibility of developing: 1) a comprehensive, evidence-based prevention program, and 2) intervention strategies to address Rusk County youth behavioral health and substance use issues. Indianhead Community Action Agency Kinship of Rusk County Rusk County Health & Human Services Rusk County Youth Council Rusk Restorative Youth Programs MCW Department of Pediatrics – Sadhana

Dharmapuri, MD Improving Access to Prenatal Oral Healthcare: Strategies and Sustainability

$199,101 ◊ 1/1/2013 – 12/31/2014

To understand how improved access to dental treatment affects the oral-health knowledge and behavior of at-risk pregnant women. Columbia College of Nursing Columbia St. Mary's MCW Department of Family and

Community Medicine – James Sanders, MD, MPH

One Hundred Healthy, At-Risk Families

$192,793 ◊ 1/1/2013 – 12/31/2014

This initiative prepares a network of pastors, nurses, at-risk seniors and their care support workers across ten urban Milwaukee church communities to sustain the safety, health and stability of 100 at-risk parishioner families. Alzheimer's Association-Southeastern WI

Arthritis Foundation Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied

for Hope (MICAH) St Martin de Porres Catholic Church; Wisconsin Center for Health Equity /

Milwaukee Health Department MCW Department of Family and

Community Medicine – Jeffrey Morzinski, PhD, MSW

A Social Network Approach for Health and Safety among Rural Intimate Partner Violence Survivors

$199,999 ◊ 1/1/2013 – 12/31/2014

To improve health and safety among Wisconsin rural women who are survivors of intimate partner violence by building upon an existing social network of Wisconsin rural women and targeted programming designed to support women's wellness and self-care.

Harbor House Domestic Abuse Programs Farm & Rural Services Wisconsin Department of Agriculture,

Trade & Consumer Protection MCW Institute for Health and Society –

Kirsten Beyer, PhD

Promoting Healthy Relationships Among LGBT Youth

$750,000 ◊ 1/1/2013 –12/31/2017

The goal of this project is to promote healthy relationship behaviors among LGBT youth in Wisconsin (ages 14-24) to decrease their risk of intimate partner dating violence. AIDS Resource Center (Eau Claire) Diverse and Resilient, Inc. Harmony Café/Goodwill Industry GSA for Safe Schools LGBT Resource Center of the 7 Rivers Area OutReach, Inc. Pathfinders University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse Pride

Center Youth Services of Southern Wisconsin MCW Department of Psychiatry and

Behavioral Medicine – Carol Galletly, JD, PhD

Specialty Access for Uninsured Program in Milwaukee County

$703,976 ◊ 1/1/2013 –12/31/2017

Ensure timely, clinically appropriate, managed access to specialty care for low-income, uninsured adults in Milwaukee County through the structured model pairing safety net clinics and health systems.

Milwaukee Health Care Partnership MCW Department of Medicine – John

Fangman, MD

He

alth

ier W

isco

nsin

Partn

ersh

ip Pro

gra

m

13

 

Promoting Healthy Body Weight among African-American Women through a Community Participatory Model

$199,993 ◊ 1/1/2013 – 12/31/2014

This project will bring together partners from the target Lindsay Heights neighborhood, MCW, Marquette University and the Bread of Healing Clinic to promote healthy body weight among African American females through a community based participatory model. Bread of Healing Clinic Marquette University MCW Department of Medicine –

Edith Burns, MD The Sisters Project: Helping Women Exit the Violence of Prostitution

$200,000 ◊ 1/1/2012 – 12/31/2013

The Sisters Project aims to prevent violence against women involved in Milwaukee's sex trade by developing an action plan that integrates local and national best practices in prostitution intervention strategies. 3rd District of the Milwaukee Police

Department Diabetes: Working Wellness in Waukesha – Together

$192,985 ◊ 1/1/2013 – 12/31/2014

To develop an integrated model between community hunger relief resources and health care systems to ensure consistent quality care for uninsured or underinsured people with diabetes in Waukesha County. Food Pantry of Waukesha County Lake Area Free Clinic Mount Mary College National Kidney Foundation of Wisconsin NuGenesis Farms St. Joseph's Medical Dental Clinic The Salvation Army of Waukesha University of Wisconsin Cooperative

Extension Waukesha Family Practice Clinic MCW Department of Family and

Community Medicine – David Nelson, PhD, MS

3rd District Community Prosecution Unit of the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office

Benedict Center Reformation Lutheran Church MCW Department of Family and

Community Medicine – Staci Young, PhD Healthy Environments, Healthy Choices, Healthier People

$750,000 ◊ 1/1/2013 –12/31/2017

Create school environments which support healthy lifestyle choices to reduce obesity risk over the lifespan through policy change, training, education, additional resources and increased community understanding of obesity prevention practices. La Crosse County Head Start La Crosse County Health Department School District of La Crosse MCW Institute for Health and Society –

David Nelson, PhD, MS DryHootch iPeer: A Social & Technology Support Program for Veteran Mental Health

$749,797 ◊ 1/1/2013 –12/31/2017

Improve access to trained peer mentor support for veterans at risk for mental health problems on college

campuses using face-to-face and smartphone interventions. DryHootch of America Edgewood College Marquette University Waukesha Technical College Mental Health America and Prevent

Suicide Greater Milwaukee Coalition University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee MCW Department of Family and

Community Medicine – Zeno Franco, PhD

SUMMARY OF COMPLETED PROJECTS

The projects that concluded during the reporting period of July 2012 through June 2013 are listed below. IMPACT AWARD (1) Nuestros Niños, Nuestro Futuro (Our Children, Our Future) DEVELOPMENT AWARD (1) Patient at Risk: Wisconsin’s EIF Repository Program for Children with Special Healthcare Needs

14

 

Tim McGuire, Social Services Program Manager at La Causa, is not naïve about the challenges faced by many of the children attending the school. “Shocked isn’t the right word, but I was surprised at the level of trauma that the kids at La Causa Charter School had, which spanned from near-death drowning experiences to home invasion with guns to homicide,” McGuire said. Researchers are finding compelling evidence that these kinds of traumatic experiences impact youth, and that the effects can linger throughout the lifespan. Addressing these traumas can allow kids to focus in the classroom and develop socially and emotionally into more mentally and physically healthy adults. La Causa , Inc. received funding from the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program in 2009 to implement a school-based mental health program focused on helping students deal with the serious traumas they had experienced in their young lives. “The program started because of a need we identified,” Chyra Trost, La Causa’s Director of Social Services, said. The name, Nuestros Ninos, Nuestro Futuro, is Spanish for Our Children, Our Future. “The name speaks to the project because addressing traumatic experiences at a young age allows children to grow up healthier,” Trost

said. “The research says that if you [address trauma early], children’s chance of succeeding as adults increases dramatically.” In order to achieve these results, Trost and her team selected a California-based model to implement. “CBITS is the model, and it stands for Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools,” McGuire said. “We chose it because it is a school-based intervention with evidence showing it to be effective. It was also researched with a population

similar to what we have in our charter school.” “The basis of the intervention,” McGuire said, “is how thoughts affect feelings and behavior, and to really get into those negative ways of thinking. The kids really worked at it and they embraced the activities like the Fear Fear Thermometer. There was also a real embracing of the group model and interaction with the clinicians and peers,” McGuire said. “Also, as part of the desensitization process, the kids have to pick something that is similar to the

Healing Together School-based group therapy helps youth deal with traumatic experiences

A screech pierced the din of normal Milwaukee traffic and commerce, as a woman and a child walked home from a Milwaukee school. Rubber burned as a speeding car’s brakes did what they could to stop the vehicle as it hurtled toward the crosswalk. But the brakes were applied too late, a delayed decision by a drunk driver. The child would be okay, but the woman would not make it to the hospital. Karen*, a La Causa Charter School student, was in Mexico with her mother when she heard the news. The victim was her grandmother. Karen never got to say goodbye.

He

alth

ier W

isco

nsin

Partn

ersh

ip Pro

gra

m

15

 

project partners also sought to change the school by educating teachers and parents. “The whole process,” Trost said, “is to make the school and the families more aware and more ready to look at things differently. The individual kids are part of the project, but so is the environment.”

Dr. Dickson-Gomez led the evaluation of the group therapy and trauma-informed environment’s effectiveness. The research component she installed analyzed how the intervention impacted participating students. Her findings of reduced Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms and symptoms of depression gave weight to the teachers’ observations. “She is a great partner,” Trost said. “Her team did a wonderful job with the research piece, making sure the consent forms and explanations were in as common of terms and language as possible. We value the research because of the results that we can show regarding our outcomes.” Mental health outcomes like these represent more than an approach that works. These outcomes represent lives changed, and are underscored by another research

project Dr. Dickson-Gomez is working on in Milwaukee. “Many of the qualitative interviews we’ve done with gang members in the past year reveal significant amounts of trauma in early childhood,” Dr. Dickson-Gomez said. “You can’t help but think, what would have happened if there had been some way to address these traumas in school.”

*** Karen, as part of her intervention, wrote a goodbye letter to her beloved grandmother. In the note, she reflected on her grandmother’s influence. “You always wanted us to be great people, to take care of ourselves, and to take care of our brothers and sisters.” Karen followed with a promise to always meet the needs of her brothers and sisters. Karen is working hard to achieve that promise by improving her grades and employing coping strategies to reduce her feelings of depression. She even reported feeling some of the old happiness her friends used to bring. While her healing journey is not over, she has come a long way. In her first session, she had reported a haunting goal: “I want to feel excited about life.” With a growing recognition of the impacts of trauma in the education and social services sectors, the project partners are hopeful that programs like Nuestros Ninos, Nuestro Futuro will help children overcome their obstacles to find success and happiness in school and in life. The future of children like Karen, after all, is our future. By addressing trauma in children, it can be a future with fewer dreams deferred, and many more dreams achieved. *Name altered to protect the participant’s privacy.

traumatic event, and then create less scary versions of it,” project partner Julia Dickson-Gomez, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, said. “For example, if a child saw someone getting shot in the park, that would be the scariest event for them. Driving by the park with their parents, or going to a different park,

that is the child’s homework and it helps reduce his or her fear.” La Causa Charter School’s staff members could see how participating in the intervention helped the students. “I’ve interacted with teachers, and with the school counselor at La Causa,” McGuire said. “I’ve heard on many occasions that they could see a difference in the way the kids behaved. And they also enjoyed receiving the information on how trauma affects behavior.” In addition to work with the kids,

The research says that if you [address trauma early], children’s chance of succeeding as adults increases dramatically.

16

 

SPECIAL INITIATIVE OF THE MCW CONSORTIUM: VIOLENCE PREVENTION INITIATIVE

VPI. Ripple Effect Milwaukee: Spreading Peace and Building Communities, led by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, and Safe Schools Healthy Students Lindsay Heights Initiative, led by Milwaukee Public Schools, were integrated into the VPI. The VPI Research and Evaluation Team worked closely with the new community partner teams to plan and conduct evaluation, including assessment of the community-academic partnerships as they grow over time. The VPI also

The Violence Prevention Initiative (VPI) is a special initiative of the MCW Consortium on Public and Community Health, funded by the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin endowment through the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program. The Initiative uses a public health, asset-based model that focuses on community strengths and emphasizes preventing violence before it occurs.

By investing in long-term strategies, collaborating with many people and groups, and addressing the complex problem of violence from a public health standpoint, VPI seeks to decrease violence and prevent its incidence in the future.

The VPI Steering Committee identified three major priorities for its

first five years:

1. implement violence prevention programs for youth ages 0-11;

2. develop leadership capacity to prevent violence among youth ages 12-17; and

3. build and strengthen community capacity and resources to prevent youth violence.

To fulfill its mission, four community teams, comprised of 29 diverse community-based organizations, partner with MCW faculty and staff to implement violence prevention programs throughout Milwaukee.

On July 1, 2012, the two newest community teams, selected during the previous reporting period, officially began working as part of

L to R: Jose Flores, director of UNCOM’s violence prevention work, Ann Bria, MCW program

coordinator, and Anthony Caples, M Div, community outreach coordinator, collaborate on

violence reduction programs

17

 

helped catalyze growth through events like the VPI Resource Exchange, which provided 40 community and academic partners an opportunity to build relationships and share knowledge about unique violence prevention strategies and curricula.

In addition to providing support and professional development for community teams, the VPI built strengthened community connections and helped sponsor more than a dozen community events. Through the 2nd annual VPI Community Grand Rounds, the VPI partners raised awareness and developed interest among community leaders regarding environmental approaches to reduce violence in Milwaukee. New and improved relationships with the Victory Garden Initiative, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, PEARLS for Teen Girls and Safe & Sound helped the VPI partners create new and expanded programming to engage more youth.

The VPI partners also organized a variety of family togetherness nights which researchers have shown to be helpful in improving family attitudes and behaviors. These nights reached more than 5000 attendees. Holton Youth and Family Center Collaborative (November 1, 2010—June 30, 2015) The Holton Youth and Family Center closed in 2008 after years of providing after-school youth services in the Harambee and Riverwest neighborhoods. A new community-based team, the Holton Youth and Family Center Collaborative (HYFCC), came together in 2010 with the VPI’s support to revive the center and enhance its mission with an emphasis on violence prevention. During this reporting period, the HYFCC successfully implemented violence prevention and recreation programs that served more than 670 unduplicated youth participants who

accumulated more than 15,900 visits. Approximately 70 percent of these youth were from the targeted Riverwest and Harambee neighborhoods, while more than 95 percent were eligible for a free or reduced lunch, which is a poverty indicator used in program evaluation. The HYFCC partners also helped seven participants find employment. To continue strengthening its program, HYFCC leveraged additional external resources, including $486,537 in funds from other funders and 2,168 volunteer hours from community members. United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee (November 1, 2010—June 30, 2015) United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee (UNCOM) was founded in 1995 when a number of local community centers came together to leverage their combined expertise. Through its VPI project, UNCOM collaborates with a team including other Milwaukee neighborhood centers and youth and family agencies to provide violence prevention programs that strengthen urban communities. During this reporting period, the UNCOM partners continued to serve youth through Restorative Justice Circles held in partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools, and also through violence prevention workshops for parents. The circles provide a space for safe, open communication that promotes the resolution of conflict through dialogue and restored relationships rather than punishment. Data collected by the project partners shows that participation has increased positive social activities, improved school attendance, and, in some cases, reduced suspensions and expulsions, which can put students at risk of dropping out of

school. The UNCOM partners also assisted nine program participants gain employment. To expand its violence prevention services, the UNCOM team focused on parents through its Parent Action Council. Graduates from the council are now applying the knowledge and skills learned related to healthy families and violence prevention at seven UNCOM agencies, 20 Community Learning Centers, nine churches, and within their families and other neighborhood associations. In addition to delivering programs for youth and parents, UNCOM administrators also began to work closely with the Building Neighborhood Capacity effort in the Amani neighborhood and the Clarke Square Neighborhood Initiative. The UNCOM partners bring expertise in violence prevention to the table to help guide decisions that will shape the future of these two neighborhoods. The UNCOM team focused on building community awareness of violence prevention through 40 events that reached 3700 attendees. UNCOM’s administrators also leveraged additional resources to support its violence prevention efforts, including $220,000 from the Wisconsin Partnership Program and the Helen Bader Foundation.  

Vio

len

ce

Preve

ntio

n In

itiative

4 Community Partner Teams

COMPRISED OF

Diverse Community Agencies 29

18

 

Ripple Effect Milwaukee: Spreading Peace and Building Communities (July 1, 2012—June 30, 2015) Ripple Effect Milwaukee (REM) is a violence prevention partnership anchored by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee. For the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, violence prevention is an enhancement of the youth development mission it pursues with its more than 35,000 members. During its first year under the VPI, REM partners developed the Peaceworks curriculum in collaboration with Marquette University’s Center for Peace Making. The program uses peer education components where older youth take an active role in teaching conflict resolution to younger youth and modeling respective behavior. The partners recruited 15 Marquette University students to help implement it across four Boys & Girls Clubs sites. The REM team implemented the intervention with 137 youth participants. After each student completes Peaceworks, the REM team offers that individual the opportunity to assist in training their peers in future sessions, join the REM Youth Leadership Council, or perform in the REM Drama Troupe. The Drama Troupe’s 10 members attended a summer camp led by Milwaukee Public Theatre staff. Through the camp, the troupe developed an original production that will be performed over the next reporting period to promote peace at various festivals and community events. Through the Bridge Builders Youth Leadership Retreat, the REM partners taught 27 youth important skills for managing conflict, building community and promoting peace. During this reporting period, the REM partners leveraged $84,000 from Safe

& Sound and 449 volunteer hours to enhance its violence prevention efforts.

Safe Schools healthy Students Lindsay Heights Initiative (July 1, 2012—June 30, 2015) Safe Schools Healthy Students Lindsay Heights Initiative (SSHS/LH Initiative) is a violence prevention coalition led by Milwaukee Public Schools. The coalition’s partners will apply the lessons learned from a five-year federally-funded violence prevention effort to the Lindsay Heights neighborhood to generate a focused impact on the community’s schools and students. During the SSHS/LH Initiative’s first six months, the project partners focused on staff development to build the skills needed to implement restorative justice practices throughout the participating schools in Lindsay Heights. In the second half of the reporting period, the project partners began to apply those skills in the community through community events and student trainings focused

on violence prevention topics. These sessions included Project Staying Alive classroom trainings for 214 youth attendees at four Lindsay Heights’ schools, Gang Awareness Training with 45 school staff and parent participants, Cyber Bullying Training with 67 youth participants, and six “Ask the Doctor” sessions with 182 students, staff members, and parents. The project partners also focused on employment as a strategy to reduce violence. The team trained 23 students in job readiness skills, which led to the employment of eight participants at Community Learning Centers throughout Milwaukee. In addition, the SSHS/LH Initiative’s partnership with the Milwaukee Fire Department Cadets provided mentorship and role modeling which led four program participants to train for the Fire Cadet Program. During this reporting period, the SSHS/LH Initiative partners leveraged more than 1400 volunteer hours.

VPI staff contribute to community meetings, events and programs aimed at reducing violence

19

 

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM Re

sea

rch

and

Edu

ca

tion Pro

gra

m

The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) awards funding from the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin (AHW) endowment for research and education initiatives that leverage academic expertise to promote scientific

and clinical discoveries and provide educational opportunities that will translate into improved health for Wisconsin residents.

The research and education priorities identified in the 2009-2014 AHW Five-Year Plan aim to address Wisconsin’s leading causes of death and disability through identifying new research discoveries and innovative education initiatives. These priorities align with MCW’s strategic priorities and leverage the institution’s strengths to improve the health of the people of Wisconsin.

Research Priorities

Funding is used to support both basic and clinical research initiatives in several key areas including: cancer, cardiovascular disease, neuroscience, infectious disease and immunology, kidney disease, and community and population health. Funds are also used to support the following platforms: genetics, imaging, stem cell biology and regenerative medicine, proteomics and structural biology, clinical and translational science, and community and population health projects that emphasize and support these research priorities.

MCW and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health continue to pursue a complementary approach to biomedical research, exploring the leading causes of death in Wisconsin and emphasizing the strengths of each organization.

MCW and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health continue to pursue a complementary

RESEARCH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM FUNDING PRIORITIES approach to biomedical research, exploring the leading causes of death in Wisconsin and emphasizing the strengths of each organization.

This multi-faceted approach toward research guides investigations into the major causes of death and disability and leverages the assets and capabilities of both MCW and collaborating research organizations.

Education Priorities

Improvements in health are achieved not only through medical research but also through the training of public health and health

care providers and by developing and providing public education programs focusing on health improvement and maintenance.

Lifelong learning will become a normal part of living as technology-based delivery of information becomes the rule, not the exception.

The Research and Education Program supports innovative programs that enhance the education of patients, public health professionals, health care providers, residents, fellows, and medical and graduate students.

Howard Jacob, PhD, is the Principal Investigator for an AHW Research and Education Program award supporting the sequencing of the full human genome for research and for clinical tests

20

 

AHW RESEARCH AND EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE The MCW Consortium provided input and supported the creation of the Research and Education Advisory Committee (REAC). The REAC serves as the oversight body for AHW Research and Education Program. In that capacity, the REAC makes recommendations regarding the Research and Education Program’s

and its members include the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Vice President for Strategic Outreach, Senior Associate Deans for Research, Research Development, and Education, and the Chief Financial Officer.

funding initiatives, application criteria, processes, program administration policies and ensures compliance with supplanting and other AHW guidelines. The REAC is led by the Dean of the Medical School and Executive Vice President of the Medical College of Wisconsin

 

G. Allen Bolton, Jr., MPH, MBA Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (began December 2011)

Mr. Bolton has more than 24 years of experience in health care management and administration at academic medical centers. He is active in the community with the American Cancer Society, Cub Scouts and the Boy Scouts of America, and Habitat for Humanity.

 

Cheryl A. Maurana, PhD Vice President for Strategic Outreach and Director of the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment

Dr. Maurana is the Vice President for Strategic Outreach, Director of the Advancing a Healthier Program, and Professor of Health and Society. Dr. Maurana has received national recognition for her work in public health research and community-academic partnership development.

 

David D. Gutterman, MD Senior Associate Dean for Research

Dr. Gutterman provides senior administrative oversight of research administration at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

 

Marjorie Spencer, MBA Chief Financial Officer

Ms. Spencer has served as MCW’s Chief Financial Officer since 2007. She leads the team that supports financial operations and planning for all of the missions of the college.

 

Joseph E. Kerschner, MD Dean and Executive Vice President

Dr. Kerschner is the Dean of the Medical School and Executive Vice President of the Medical College of Wisconsin. He is Professor of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences. Dr. Kerschner maintains an active clinical practice, is recognized as a national expert in pediatric otolaryngology and has been named to the American’s Best Doctors list the past several years.

 

Paula Traktman, PhD Senior Associate Dean for Research Development

Dr. Traktman has received recognition for developing and leading interdisciplinary graduate programs, leadership in national scientific societies, participation in multiple Expert Panels and Advisory Editorial Boards, and a long-track record of scientific excellence and extramural funding, with ongoing service as a Basic Science Chair.

 

Karen J. Marcdante, MD Senior Associate Dean for Education

Dr. Marcdante provided senior administrative oversight of education administration at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

     

Re

sea

rch

and

Edu

ca

tion Pro

gra

m

21

 

FUNDING AND REVIEW PROCESS OVERVIEW The Research and Education Program is committed to continuous quality improvement of its processes and policies. During this annual reporting period, the Research and Education Advisory Committee (REAC) engaged in a series of discussions to evaluate how the AHW Research and Education Program could better define its program structure and improve its application and monitoring processes. These improvements were informed by recommendations from the Legislative Audit Bureau Evaluation, discussions with the Wisconsin United for Health Foundation and thoughtful discussion with the Consortium members as well as MCW leaders and other key stakeholders.

Funding Preferences The AHW Research and Education Program continues to focus funding on program development initiatives in areas consistent with both the AHW Five-Year Plan and MCW’s strategic priorities. This approach helps to ensure that funds are invested in research and education initiatives that can provide a maximum return on investment for AHW, improve the health of Wisconsin residents, leverage AHW funds by gaining future extramural support, enhance the State’s healthcare work force, and develop sustainable programs that will endure well beyond the AHW award period.

Proposal Submission and Review Process Through an iterative, consultative process with the Dean, potential applicants develop ideas that align with the AHW Five-Year Plan and MCW strategic priorities. The Dean’s Office authorizes the AHW Research and Education Program to invite faculty investigators with meritorious proposal concepts to apply for funding.

Submission Process The AHW Research and Education Program developed a two-stage application process for use of AHW research and education funds.

Stage 1: Letter of Intent The first stage includes submission of a letter of intent that is reviewed by the REAC for merit as well as alignment with the AHW Five-Year Plan, support of the state health plan, and the MCW Consortium’s principles of stewardship. The REAC meets to discuss the letters of intent and makes a determination regarding whether the applicant should be invited to submit a full proposal. Letters of intent are accepted and reviewed by the REAC on a monthly basis.

Stage 2: Full Proposal The second stage includes submission of a full proposal to the Research and Education Program Office for review. All applicants are required to provide a detailed project narrative that includes how the project aligns with the AHW Five-Year Plan priorities, the MCW Consortium’s principles of stewardship and how the proposed initiative will improve the health of people of Wisconsin. A detailed budget and budget narrative are also required. All proposals must submit a non-supplanting attestation form to complete their submission.

Technical Review Full proposals are screened by AHW Research and Education Program staff to determine that all eligibility, content and submission requirements are fulfilled. All proposals are reviewed for supplanting through the MCW Controller’s Office.

REAC Review Full proposals are reviewed by the REAC. The REAC reviews and provides funding recommendations on all Research and Education Program proposals before they are advanced to the MCW Consortium for review and comment. AHW Research and Education Program proposals are evaluated based upon their strengths in the areas of emphasis as outlined in the 2009-2014 Five-Year Plan and the additional criteria noted below:

fit with the state health plan, Healthiest Wisconsin 2020

fit with AHW Principles of Stewardship significance innovation ability to leverage funding scientific merit (applicable to

research initiatives) sustainability (as applicable) non-supplanting with existing

resources conformance to organizational

policies and procedures Comments from the REAC discussion are shared with applicants. Funding recommendations from the REAC are then advanced to the Consortium for review and comment.

MCW Consortium The MCW Consortium reviews and comments on proposals prior to review by the MCW Board of Trustees. Discussion includes purpose and objectives (Dean), adherence to principles of stewardship (Vice President for Strategic Outreach) and non-supplanting (Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer).

MCW Board of Trustees The MCW Board of Trustees reviews recommended AHW Research and Education Program proposals, taking into consideration the comments by the MCW Consortium, and makes the final funding determinations.

22

 

FUNDED RESEARCH AND EDUCATION AWARDS

Early Detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment

This award will allow the Center for Imaging Research to develop neuroimaging modalities, which will be applied to early disease detection.

Shi-Jiang Li, PhD, Biophysics Award: $800,000 over five years

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) Research Development

The goal of this project is to establish a world-class magnetoencephalography (MEG) research program at MCW through the support of pilot projects and development of new imaging technologies.

Colin Humphries, PhD, Neurology Award: $694,124 over three years

Summary of Completed Awards

Five REP awards concluded during the reporting period of July 2012 through June 2013 and are listed below. For more information on the completed awards, please see www.mcw.edu/healthierwisconsin.htm.

RESEARCH AWARDS (5)

Chemokine Receptors as Novel Targets for Cancer Therapy Research Data Warehouse Establishment of a Neuroscience Research Center Injury Research Center – Seed Projects Translational Neuro-Oncology Research Program

Neurology

Population Health Improvement for Patients and Employees with Diabetes

Investigators supported by this program strive to bolster the patient’s own immune system to fight off cancer, while also reducing the risks posed by bone marrow transplants.

John Meurer, MD, MBA, Institute for Health and Society Award: $1,800,000 over four years

Colin Humphries, PhD, Neurology, will lead the development of a new program seeking to promote innovative imaging research using the newest, most powerful technology

Project summaries for completed and currently funded projects may be found on the AHW website at www.mcw.edu/healthierwisconsin.htm.

Population Health

During this annual reporting period (July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013), the REP funded three research awards for a total of $3.3 million. No education awards were funded during the reporting period.

23

 

The Hwang lab participated in a multi-disciplinary project testing potential treatments for preventing the spread of cancer throughout the body

Re

sea

rch

and

Edu

ca

tion Pro

gra

m

New Molecules Show Promise in Melanoma and Psoriasis As a physician and cancer researcher, Samuel T. Hwang, MD, PhD, Chairman and Thomas J. Russell Family/Milwaukee Community Dermatologists Chair of Dermatology and Professor of Dermatology, knows how important it is that scientists investigate new ways to stop the ability of cancer to spread into new tissues and organs. “Tumors that grow and spread throughout the body,” Hwang said, “are the leading cause of death for most types of cancer.” Cancer is a leading cause of death in Wisconsin. The American Cancer Society and Wisconsin Division of Public Health estimated that more than 11,000 Wisconsin residents with cancer died from the disease in 2010. Stopping or slowing the spread of malignant tumors, known in the medical field as metastasis, may improve the chances of survival and provide a longer window of time for radiation, chemotherapy and other treatments to be utilized.

Dr. Hwang collaborated with Michael Dwinell, PhD, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, and Brian Volkman, PhD, Professor of Biochemistry, to study certain proteins, called chemokines, and their receptors, because both play critical roles in cancer development and metastasis. By researching these proteins’ role in cancer, the three were able to design and test new molecules that could halt or delay the spread of tumors throughout the body. Dr. Volkman, a structural biochemist, built new, stable molecules used in the experiments to block specific problematic receptors. Dr. Dwinell, a geneticist, developed new animal models to test the effectiveness of these engineered molecules. At this stage, the excitement of new discovery is often tempered. Many molecules which show promise in studies of cells in the lab are broken

down too fast or fail for any number of reasons when introduced into live models. No matter how influential a finding appears in cell cultures, it must show effectiveness beyond the cellular level to have potential health benefits for people. In this case, further testing showed that one of the molecules did work in animal models of melanoma and colon cancer to reduce tumor size and metastasis. As a dermatologist, Dr. Hwang investigated another molecule in studies of psoriasis, and these studies also generated promising results. The researchers’ findings led to additional funding from community organizations and the National Institutes of Health. These funds will help the researchers study their new molecules further with the vision of one day seeing their results used to help treat those who suffer from cancer and autoimmune diseases like psoriasis.

Sam T. Hwang, PhD, Dermatology

24

 

GENERAL Open Meetings and Public Record Laws Statement

The MCW Consortium conducts its operations and processes in accordance with the State of Wisconsin’s Open Meetings and Public Records laws. Meetings of the MCW Consortium are open to the public, in accordance with the law. Agendas, minutes and documents approved by the MCW Consortium are posted online at www.mcw.edu/healthierwisconsin.

will continue to be equally accessible to all qualified persons without regard to their race, religion, color, age, disability, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, membership in the military reserves, creed, ancestry and arrest or conviction record. This policy represents the AHW endowment and MCW’s commitment to nondiscriminatory practices and affirms its value for fair treatment of all qualified applicants and employees.

Diversity Statement

The AHW Program and the MCW Consortium are subject to, comply with and affirm the Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action policy of the Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc. The MCW Consortium is committed to optimizing the talents of people of different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives as a means of improving the health of the residents of Wisconsin. The AHW endowment

AHW FIVE-YEAR PLAN INPUT PROCESS The MCW Consortium began discussing the planning process for the 2014-18 AHW Five-Year Plan in April 2012. The process launched June 2012 during HWPP’s Rural Health Conference in Wausau. Throughout the planning process, and in accordance with the Insurance Commissioner’s Order, MCW used a multi-faceted approach with diverse methods of soliciting input from the public as well as MCW stakeholders. The purpose of the public input process was to invite input to assist the MCW Consortium in developing the overall plan.

The 2014-18 AHW Five-Year Plan’s key components. The MCWConsortium is targeting December 2013 for the release of the 2014-18 AHW Five-Year Plan following approval by the MCW Board of Trustees. Following the release of the AHW Five-Year Plan, the MCW Consortium is targeting January 2014 as the start date for the plan’s implementation phase. During this phase, the MCW Consortium will develop processes to support the objectives included in the 2014-18 AHW Five-Year Plan.

As of March 2013, a total of 263 responses were gathered to inform the Five-Year Plan’s development, including 135 MCW stakeholders and 113 public stakeholders, including community organizations, other academic institutions, health systems, government and civic groups, and national funder perspectives, among many other stakeholders. Between March and June 2013, the MCW Consortium discussed feedback from the public input process and developed a draft of

Fun

d M

an

ag

em

en

t

25

 

FUND MANAGEMENT

The Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin endowment funds are invested with the Medical College of Wisconsin Endowment Funds using a diversified asset allocation strategy that includes money market funds held by external investment managers, marketable debt and equity securities, bond and equity mutual funds, commingled bond and equity funds, other equity securities, and accrued interest and dividends thereon and are reported at fair value. The investment goal for the AHW funds, as approved by the MCW Board of Trustees, is to preserve the purchasing power of its investment, while providing a level of investment return and liquidity that funds its purposes within a reasonable and prudent level of risk. MCW has a long-term investment objective for the endowment assets to earn on average a real (inflation adjusted) annual rate of return and to provide a return for appropriation of not less than the total annual appropriation rate under the endowment fund spending policy. All Endowment Funds, including the AHW funds, are invested in a unitized

Distributions are based on the MCW Endowment Fund Spending Policy. Investment earnings that are not distributed are temporarily restricted under the terms of the Grant Agreement. The grant agreement placed a temporary restriction on $30,000,000 of the funds for the initial planning and implementation of programs (defined in the grant agreement as immediate funds) and a permanent restriction on the balance of the funds. After five years, any unexpended balance of the immediate funds was to be added to the endowed funds. In accordance with this provision, approximately $113,000 of the Research for a Healthier Tomorrow and Educational Leadership for the Health of the Public remaining immediate funds were transferred to permanently restricted net assets in fiscal year 2009.

pool. Pooling of funds allows an individual participating fund to benefit from diversification and economies of scale in the investment process. Income is also unitized and allocated based on relative value on the first of the month. Realized capital gains are reinvested in the pool. The separate identity of each fund participating in the Endowment Fund pool is fully preserved, and each fund’s share in the income and gains and losses of the pool is assured. The AHW funds are segregated within the Endowment Fund. With respect to the 35% allocation of the funds for the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program (HWPP) and the 65% allocation of the funds for the Research for a Healthier Tomorrow and Educational Leadership for the Health of the Public programs, separate accounts for the endowed funds and the spendable income funds available for current and future program distribution are maintained.

INVESTMENT SUMMARY

26

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS A financial audit of The Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc. Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Program was conducted by an external audit firm for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2013 and 2012.

The following pages reflect the financial position for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2013 and 2012 and the activities and changes in net assets for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013.

Assets:

Investments, at fair value:

Spendable income funds

Endowed funds

Total investments

Total assets

Liabilities and Net Assets:

Liabilities

Due to The Medical College of Wisconsin, Inc.

Total liabilities

Net Assets

Temporarily Restricted

Permanently Restricted

Total net assets

Total liabilities and net assets

2013

$ 56,879

336,648

393,527

$ 393,527

$ -

-

$ 104,838

288,689

393,527

$ 393,527

2012

$ 52,560

310,121

362,681

$ 362,681

$ 38

38

$ 73,954

288,689

362,643

$ 362,681

Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Statements of Financial Position

As of June 30, 2013 and 2012 (in thousands)

Fun

d M

an

ag

em

en

t

27

 

Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Statements of Activities and Changes in Net Assets

For the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2013 (in thousands)

Healthier Wisconsin

Partnership Program

Research and

Education Program Total

Changes in unrestricted net assets:

Expenditures

Faculty salaries $ 374 $ 3,402 $ 3,776

Staff salaries 781 2,568 3,349

Fringe benefits 322 1,611 1,933

Services, supplies, and other 226 2,312 2,538

Subcontracts 2,345 165 2,510

Equipment - 432 432

Total expenditures 4,048 10,490 14,538

Net assets released from restrictions (4,048) (10,490) (14,538)

Change in unrestricted net assets - - -

Unrestricted net assets, beginning of year $ - - -

Unrestricted net assets, end of year $ - - -

Changes in temporarily restricted net assets:

Investment income $ 2,401 $ 4,622 $ 7,023

Realized gains on investments 2,216 4,266 6,482

Unrealized gains on investments 10,892 21,025 31,917

Net assets released from restrictions (4,048) (10,490) (14,538)

Change in temporarily restricted net assets 11,461 19,423 30,884

Temporarily restricted net assets, beginning of year $ 22,390 $ 51,564 $ 73,954

Temporarily restricted net assets, end of year $ 33,851 $ 70,987 $ 104,838

Changes in permanently restricted net assets:

Change in permanently restricted net assets $ - $ - $ -

Permanently restricted net assets, beginning of year $ 101,001 $ 187,688 $ 288,689

Permanently restricted net assets, end of year $ 101,001 $ 187,688 $ 288,689

28

 

Healthier Wisconsin

Partnership Program

Research and Education Program Total

COMMITMENTS:

Inception to June 30, 2012:

Authorized funding $ 47,639 $ 117,876 $ 165,515

Budget reductions (2,334) (5,231) (7,565)

Expenditures (29,433) (47,592) (77,025)

Unused funds released from commitment (2,289) (4,449) (6,738)

Outstanding commitments, June 30, 2012 $ 13,583 $ 60,604 $ 74,187

July 1, 2012—June 30, 2013:

Authorized funding 4,537 3,294 7,831

Expenditures (4,048) (10,490) (14,538)

Unused funds released from commitment (161) (968) (1,129)

Outstanding commitments, June 30, 2013 $ 13,911 $ 52,440 $ 66,351

The MCW Consortium authorized the following changes in outstanding commitments for the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Program (in thousands):

These outstanding commitments will be funded on a reimbursement basis and recognized as expenditures after the amounts have been expended by MCW and the community partners and a request for reimbursement is received by the Program.

29

 

Thank you for reading the 2012-2013 Annual Report for Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin. Documents referred to in this Annual Report can be found on the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin website: www.mcw.edu/healthierwisconsin. Any questions or comments regarding this Annual Report may be directed to Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin by calling (414) 955-8075 or e-mailing healthierwisconsin@mcw.edu.

Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin (AHW) Endowment Medical College of Wisconsin 8701 Watertown Plank Road

PO Box 26509 Milwaukee, WI 53226-0509