September 29, 2020

VUMC Limited Submission Opportunity: NIOSH Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health applications due Oct 1

VUMC: These instructions are for VUMC investigators. VU investigators should apply through InfoReady and address any questions to VU-LSO@vanderbilt.edu.

 Overview:

VUMC may submit only 1 application to the NIOSH Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health (U19) program. The purpose of this FOA is to solicit meritorious applications to develop and conduct a broad range of multidisciplinary research, intervention, outreach and education, and evaluation activities that advance the overall safety, health, and well-being of the diverse population of workers in our nation. Center structure should take advantage of diverse scientific resources and focus on local, regional, or national worker safety and health issues.

 Centers should emphasize creating and implementing evidence-based solutions to address evolving challenges and opportunities related to worker safety, mental and physical health, and well-being. Collaborations in partnership with academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and other groups focused on occupational safety and health are expected. Applicants must concisely describe the occupational health burden within their service area and directly link research and outreach activities to help alleviate the burden. Applicants should also clearly articulate the anticipated impacts of the proposed work, both during the project period and beyond.

 TWH High Priority Topic Areas

To address evolving challenges and opportunities related to worker safety, health, and well-being, the TWH program highlights critical priority areas and emerging issues currently relevant to advancing worker well-being. The program’s latest research interests and needs are:

  • Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders in the Workplace
  • TWH Outreach, Education, and Training
  • Measuring Worker Well-Being
  • Future of Work
  • Healthy Work Design and Well-Being
  • Workplace Mental Health and Worker Well-Being

 More generally, the types of work laid out as priority areas in the National TWH Agenda (2016-2026) include:

  • Research: Advance and conduct basic/etiologic, intervention, translational, and surveillance research that builds the evidence base for effectively integrating protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being.
  • Practice: Increase the awareness and adoption of effective policies, programs, and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being.
  • Policy: Create guidance for policies that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being.
  • Capacity-Building: Build professional capacity to strengthen the TWH workforce and TWH field to support the development, growth, and maintenance of policies, programs and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being.

 *Note that the Letter of Intent is required and due by November 2, 2020. The full application is due February 3, 2021. See the solicitation for more information.

Internal Application Process:

Eligible faculty interested in being one of VUMC’s nominees must submit the following (in a single PDF) to LSO@vanderbilt.edu  by 5 p.m. on October 1: 

 1.     Brief (2-page maximum) research plan including summary budget;

2.     Letter of support from department chair/center director;

3.     NIH Biosketch or 5-page CV

 Submissions should reference the program name in the subject line of the email. Any questions about this opportunity or the LSO process may be directed to LSO@vanderbilt.edu.