Identifying Innovations that Improve Health Equity During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked innovative responses to meet emerging and evolving needs from many child serving sectors. ​CHDI, through funding from the Children’s Fund of Connecticut, has awarded research grants to four organizations to identify effective practice, policy or system level changes implemented during the pandemic. The funds will identify promising adaptations that have addressed longstanding inequities and disparities and make recommendations for sustaining those innovations. The following organizations were awarded research grants:

1. Childhood Prosperity Lab of the Office for Community Child Health, Connecticut Children's Medical Center will explore innovations adopted in community-based, pediatric primary care sites.
2. Connecticut Community Nonprofit Alliance, Inc. will investigate innovations adopted by children’s behavioral health providers, as well as how state agencies are supporting these innovations.
3. Connecticut Association of School Based Health Centers will survey its membership of more than 100 school based health centers to determine how they have carried out their work at a time when schools are not in session. 
4. Center for Applied Research in Human Development at University of Connecticut will focus its investigation on K –12 schools, with particular interest in how school-based mental health services were continued during the pandemic.