Helping Vulnerable Populations

The Veterans Administration’s research goal is to improve the quality and equity of health and healthcare for vulnerable populations. The primary focus is to research issues in vulnerable populations affecting racial and ethnic minorities, women, homeless, individuals with limited life expectancy, people with serious mental illnesses, TBI, and PTSD, stigmatizing or disabling medical conditions, victims of military sexual trauma, disadvantages existing in specific geographic areas, and gender minorities.

The secondary research focus is to improve the quality, safety, and value of clinical therapeutics which can include the appropriate use of medications, devices, and procedures to improve the patient’s quality of life and medical outcomes and do more to manage many chronic illnesses. 

 The VA’s Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion (CHERP) has invited the VA’s VISN 4 investigators to apply for up to $35,000 in funding that is available from the CHERP “Competitive Pilot Research Program”. CHERP’s pilot project funding will support the transition from purely research and development to developing pilots in the VA’s HSR&D Center of Innovation.

CHERP is especially interested in pilot proposals to help better understand the patient, provider, clinical interface, healthcare system, and environmental community issues affecting the health of vulnerable veteran populations. This funding mechanism will eventually support the development of full proposals for intramural VA R&D funding.

For more information, email Kelly H. Burkitt, PhD, Director of Research Development for CHERP at Kelly.burkitt@va.gov.