Table of Contents  Executive Summary  Meeting objectives and products  Participants  Welcome  Charge to participants  Plenary presentations  Defining Criteria for Prioritizing    Collaborative Opportunities  Breakout Session I: Identifying    Research Collaboration    Opportunities for Specific    Health Topic Areas  Breakout Session II: Prioritizing    Collaborative Opportunities  Past Processes and Strategies    for Research Collaboration  Proposal to Create a Health    Disparities Research Meeting    Planning Collaborative  Breakout Session III: Identifying    Subject Matter Experts for    Each Research Priority  Next Steps  Closing Remarks  Appendix 1. Meeting Agenda  Appendix 2. List of Meeting    Participants  Appendix 3. Question and    Answer Session  Appendix 4. Research    Collaboration Opportunities  Appendix 5. Subject Matter    Experts  FCHDR Home

Federal Partners Meeting
Collaborative Research Efforts to Eliminate Health Disparities
Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC
May 24, 2006

Meeting Summary

Meeting Co-Sponsors

Office of Minority Health/Office of Public Health and Science, Department of Health and Human Services

Office of Public Health Research, Office of the Chief Science Officer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services

Submission date: September 08, 2006

Executive Summary

Background

In January 2005, following intensive planning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) initiated a major effort to develop a blueprint for public health research, now called the Health Protection Research Guide, 2006-2015. After an extensive public engagement and development process, CDC launched the promotion of the Research Guide by holding a Federal Partners Meeting on May 24th, 2006, focusing on collaborative research efforts to eliminate health disparities.

This Federal Partners Meeting focused on health disparities as a result of recent initiatives of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to coordinate research and data, and CDC’s efforts to develop the Research Guide and address the new Health Protection Goals, all of which emphasize health disparities elimination. Participants in the May 24th meeting discussed 1) agency-related research approaches and strategies, 2) areas of common interest, and 3) recommendations on strategies for ongoing health disparities research collaboration across federal agencies.

Meeting Purpose

Dr. Dixie Snider, Chief Science Officer, CDC and Dr. Garth Graham, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, HHS co-hosted the meeting. Representatives of 14 HHS agencies and offices including the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health, HHS, and representatives from 9 other departments and independent agencies across the federal government attended the meeting. During the meeting, leaders shared their agency’s priorities regarding health disparities research and perspectives on collaboration. Meeting participants engaged in small group discussion and prioritization of potential research areas for collaboration in several areas, including infectious diseases, chronic diseases, infant mortality, immunization, substance abuse, mental health, global health, preparedness, environmental health, occupational health, and injury prevention.

Meeting Overview

The one-day meeting began with opening remarks from Dr. Garth Graham, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, Office of Minority Health, HHS and Dr. Dixie Snider, Chief Science Officer, CDC. Drs. Robin Wagner and Robert Spengler, Office of Public Health Research, Office of the Chief Science Officer, CDC, and Dr. Kenneth Keppel from the National Center for Health Statistics, CDC provided an overview and framework to highlight the importance of collaboration across federal agencies to address the critical needs associated with health disparities elimination. Dr. Roger Bulger, National Center on Monitory Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health (NIH); Dr. Frances Chesley, Office of Research Review, Education and Policy, Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ); Dr. Walter Williams, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, CDC; and Dr. Devon Payne-Sturges, Office of Children’s Health Protection, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) each described their agency’s research portfolios, discussed priorities, and provided examples of beneficial collaboration activities being conducted within their agencies. These presentations were followed by a brief question and answer session.

Participants then worked in small groups to identify 165 opportunities for collaboration regarding health disparities research across eight broad health disparities categories. These research opportunities were further vetted and prioritized into 23 leading collaborative priorities and then grouped into three tiers (i.e., top, second, and third).

Dr. Sherry Baron from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), CDC provided an overview of the collaboration strategies used by NIOSH to carry out its National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA). After her presentation, meeting attendees worked to identify participants who could help plan the next phases of this research collaborative.

During the final breakout session, participants recommended subject matter experts who could be invited to participate in the next meeting; attendees then shared their recommendations for next steps. Dr. Dixie Snider provided closing remarks and adjourned the meeting.

Meeting Outcomes

The Federal Partners Meeting proved to be successful and resulted in the following outcomes.

• Participants identified 23 promising areas for multi-agency collaboration based on need and opportunity. Three tiers were proposed with four, nine, and 10 research areas representing critical to important areas of collaboration, respectively.
• Participants identified the following four top areas of collaboration:
  • developing a systems-wide approach to obesity;
  • developing quality indicators for people with multiple co-morbidities;
  • increasing culturally appropriate access to mental health care; and
  • conducting research into the built environment and vulnerable populations.
• Subject matter experts, and in some instances agency points of contact, were proposed for each of the 23 collaborative research areas. These experts will be invited to participate in future meetings to further develop the collaboration strategy and refine research topics.

Report and Content

Next Steps

Leadership within the Office of Public Health Research, Office of the Chief Science Officer, CDC will continue to work closely with the HHS Office of Minority Health and the HHS Health Disparities Council to plan the next Federal Partners Meeting and to ensure appropriate coordination in setting priorities for eliminating health disparities. A collaborative planning workgroup consisting of meeting participants will work along with HHS and CDC leadership to develop plans and strategies for next phase of the collaboration (See Table VI).

Meeting objectives and products

The meeting objectives were to identify areas of health-disparities research that would best be addressed through federal collaboration and identify collaborative strategies to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in improving health outcomes (see Appendix 1 for the full meeting agenda). More specifically, meeting participants were charged with developing a list of priorities for collaborative research efforts to eliminate health disparities and a list of the key people to be involved in moving collaborative efforts forward; participants also were asked to identify next steps to influence the adoption of agreed upon priorities.

Participants

Executive Branch Departments

• Department of Health and Human Services
  • Office of the Secretary for Health
    • Office of Public Health Science
    • Office of Minority Health
  • HHS Agencies
    • Office on Women’s Health
    • Administration for Children and Families
    • Administration on Aging
    • Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
    • Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    • Center for Medicaid Services
    • Food and Drug Administration
    • Health Resources and Services Administration
    • National Institutes of Health
    • Indian Health Service
    • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
• Department of Agriculture
• Department of Commerce
  • Census Bureau
• Department of Education
• Department of Justice
  • National Institute of Corrections
• Department of Labor
  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• U.S. Agency for International Development
• Department of Transportation
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Environmental Protection Agency
• Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Veterans Health Administration

Welcome

Dr. Garth Graham welcomed meeting participants and thanked them for taking part in the monumental effort to facilitate federal collaboration in addressing health disparities. He provided background regarding health-disparities-associated activities that have been occurring within the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) and emphasized the need to conduct research and gather data as a nexus for solving the growing dilemma of health disparities. Although several activities have been initiated to address this dilemma over the past two decades, most have been “individual” efforts undertaken by a single agency or organization.

HHS is committed to pushing the issue of health disparities even further to the forefront and to finding solutions to the health disparities problem through collaborative initiatives. Research and data are key to identifying these solutions. Dr. Graham stressed that the Federal Partners Meeting was convened to represent a first step towards strategically aligning the related research and data efforts of multiple agencies to reduce health disparities in the United States. These and other efforts seek similar outcomes. However, the current partnership between CDC and OMH, to extend the collaboration beyond HHS and predominant research agencies is expected to have an even greater impact.

Dr. Dixie Snider also welcomed meeting participants. Dr. Snider noted that CDC cosponsored and helped convene the Federal Partners Meeting because of its commitment to becoming a better partner to other departments and agencies within HHS. Further, CDC is aware that the difficult issues associated with the elimination of disparities cannot be tackled alone. Other agencies share this collaboration commitment to eliminate health disparities, as evidenced by the presence of 10 federal departments and independent agencies, including 14 HHS agencies and offices, at the meeting.

The current meeting of federal partners builds on a meeting held last year regarding public health research, during which Federal Department representatives identified the need for better collaboration in all areas of research. The topic of health disparities is a good starting point for such collaboration, because it is recognized as being highly important to society and government. In addition, many agencies have a substantial investment in research and programs that address health disparities. Through collaboration, the sum of these public health efforts can be greater than its parts, and valuable resources can be better leveraged to improve the health of all members of society.

Charge to participants

Mr. Michael Wilkinson, who served as meeting facilitator, emphasized the need for meeting participants to "detach" themselves from their particular areas of expertise and to make decisions regarding potential research priorities based on which topics are most conducive to collaboration. Meeting participants were encouraged to maintain a "broad" public health view.

Plenary presentations

Dr. Robin Wagner, Associate Director for Research Planning and Evaluation and Dr. Robert Spengler, Director, Office of Public Health Research, OCSO, CDC, HHS

Dr. Robin Wagner provided meeting attendees with background regarding HHS activities that have led to the need for the current Federal Partners Meeting, including key milestones that have been reached regarding the reduction of health disparities in the United States over the past 20 years. Several federal legal mandates have been issued (e.g., the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act of 2000 and the Healthcare Research and Quality Act of 1999), and HHS has embarked upon many disparities-related initiatives, including the establishment of the HHS Health Disparities Council in 2004, HHS National Leadership Summits on Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health (held in July 2002 and January 2006), Initiatives to Close the Health Gap including infant mortality (OMH, CDC, IHS, NIH, and HRSA), and immunization (CDC, OMH, FDA, and CMS). All of these health-disparities-associated activities are in step with the HHS Secretary's "500 Day Plan" and "5,000 Day Horizon" --- a declaration of the Secretary's key focus areas and priorities for funding.

Dr. Wagner updated meeting participants on CDC's recent research-related efforts to reduce health disparities. She discussed the newly established overarching Health Protection Goals, which also address disparities: a) healthy people in every stage of life, b) healthy people in healthy places, c) healthy people in a healthy world, and d) people prepared for emerging health threats.

For the past year, CDC has worked to establish its first Health Protection Research Guide, 2006-2015 (http://www.cdc.gov/od/ophr/cdcra.htm). The Research Guide provides a comprehensive, long-range (i.e., 10-year) vision of national and global public health needs and is applicable to both intramural and extramural research. CDC developed the Research Guide using a transparent process that ensured public and partner engagement. Although it covers many research topics, the Guide emphasizes cross-cutting health disparities research. Dr. Wagner also stressed the importance of identifying collaborative actions that can be taken to close the gap in health disparities.

Dr. Kenneth G. Keppel, Statistician, National Center for Health Statistics, Coordinating Center for Health Information and Service, CDC, HHS

Dr. Kenneth Keppel discussed Healthy People 2010 (http://www.healthypeople.gov/) goals and the progress that has been made towards reaching them. He also described the framework that has been developed that allows progress towards HP 2010 goals to be measured. Progress for the second goal (to eliminate disparities among subgroups of the population) was examined, and it was determined that certain population groups continue to be affected by disparities in health, including persons who are American Indian or Alaska Native, persons with less than a high-school education, economically disadvantaged persons, persons living in urban areas, and those living in rural areas.

Agency Perspectives on Health Disparities Research and Collaboration

During this portion of the Federal Partners Meeting, representatives from the National Institutes of Health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, CDC, and the Environmental Protection Agency described the following collaborative research initiatives that are taking place within their agencies:

Dr. Roger Bulger, Acting Deputy Director, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), HHS

Dr. Roger Bulger discussed examples of collaborations occurring within NIH organizational units and between NIH and other agencies. Collaborative efforts have been underway since the issuance of the Congressional mandate that NIH establish the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities Center. The Center has formed partnerships and has shared funds with each Institute and Center within NIH, to support numerous collaborative projects.

NIH has learned that collaborative efforts are most effective when they are implemented at the start of a project and when they are well planned. NIH has been working to establish research capacity in minority-serving institutions, which are known as Centers of Excellence in Health Disparities. A total of 71 Centers have been created around the country over the past 5 years. NIH has also created an endowment program and investment program to ensure adequate resources, and has established partnerships with research institutions that share similar goals.

Dr. Francis Chesley, Director, Office of Research Review, Education, and Policy, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HHS

Dr. Francis Chesley described AHRQs strategy for carrying out research on health disparities and provided examples of the agency's' collaborative research initiatives. AHRQ utilizes a two-pronged approach to research: a) knowledge generation and b) knowledge use. The critical bridge between these two aspects of research is the translation of knowledge into effective practice and policy.

Several years ago, Congress mandated that AHRQ produce two reports: the National Healthcare Disparities Report (http://www.qualitytools.ahrq.gov/disparitiesreport/2005/browse/browse.aspx) and the National Healthcare Quality Report (http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/nhqr05/nhqr05.pdf). These documents ensure the yearly reporting of the status of healthcare quality and the level of health disparities by population (e.g., race/ethnicity and sex). AHRQ has used the data generated from these reports to inform its efforts to form strategic partnerships. Further, through AHRQ's Knowledge Transfer Program, some States are collaborating and using these data to develop action plans for translating health-disparities-associated information into practice.

Dr. Walter Williams, Director, Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, CDC, HHS

Dr. Walter Williams began by discussing CDC's research priorities. Prior to CDC's development of the Health Protection Research Guide, 2006-2015, CDC's health disparities research primarily was driven by CDC's National Centers. The Research Guide was created to describe and link the Agency's research-associated efforts. The Research Guide is comprehensive and specifically outlines priorities for health disparities research.

Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) 2010 and Prevention Research Centers are two of CDC's successful collaborative efforts to help eliminate health disparities throughout the country. These initiatives involve collaboration with state health departments, academic institutions, community organizations, and other federal agencies. In FY 2004, a total of 40 REACH sites were established across the country, five of which were supported by an interagency agreement with NIH; partnerships also were formed with other organizations, including the Administration on Aging (AoA) and the California Endowment (a private statewide health foundation whose mission focuses on expanding access to quality healthcare for underserved individuals). Over the past years, various types of activities have been conducted through the collaborative efforts of CDC and NIH, including research, science planning, surveillance and monitoring, administrative efforts, education and outreach initiatives, and the development of professional tools.

Dr. Devon C. Payne-Sturges, Environmental Health Scientist, Office of Children's Health Protection, EPA

Dr. Payne-Sturges, discussed collaborations that are occurring within EPA. While EPA is primarily regulatory agency, it also engages in community outreach, interventions, and policy development, all of which have a bearing on health disparities. EPA focuses on the physical environment and its effect on public health, principally chemical exposures and the way these exposures are distributed across society. The Agency's Office of Research and Development has developed a human health research strategy in which life-stage susceptibilities to environmental toxins are being investigated.

The EPA Office of Environmental Justice is involved in providing grants to communities to focus on grassroots-level local public health and environmental issues. In addition, through EPAs Community Action for Renewed Environment; community-based organizations are given resources to identify creative ways of reducing toxic exposures. EPA also was a partner in a workshop on environmental health disparities, in which experts discussed ways to better link the data and knowledge of social scientists to the environmental knowledge of environmental health scientists. For all of these and other health disparities-related efforts, the Agency has created and relies upon long standing relationships and partnerships with other federal agencies, including CDC.

Defining Criteria for Prioritizing Collaborative Opportunities

Mr. Wilkinson suggested criteria participants could use to prioritize suggested collaborative research initiatives. The proposed criteria were developed to provide participants with a more objective way to evaluate each research suggestion proposed in the first breakout session and to create a final list of priorities for each topic area. Mr. Wilkinson explained that participants would later be expected to assign a numerical value (with five being the highest priority and one the lowest) to their research suggestions.

After hearing Mr. Wilkinson's explanation of the criteria for ranking and prioritizing collaborative health-disparities research initiatives, many meeting participants expressed concern about the criteria. In response, Mr. Wilkinson asked participants to make suggestions for revisions. After consideration of participant recommendations and more deliberation, participants agreed that the ranking criteria would be most effective if structured into two categories: need for research (including state of the gap and preventable burden) and opportunity for research (including proven solutions, resources and expertise, support, and collaboration potential). It was decided that these two categories would be used by each group when prioritizing their suggestions for collaborative health disparities research.

Breakout Session I: Identifying Research Collaboration Opportunities for Specific Health Topic Areas

Breakout Session I allowed agencies to share their priorities and perspectives regarding areas for priority research collaboration. Participants were grouped according to categories outlines in Table 1, below. The eight broad categories were identified based on a) priority health disparities topics established by HHS (http://www.omhrc.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=2139), b) a review of health disparities data obtained from various agencies, and c) consideration of information found on participating agencies' websites. Participants exchanged information about research being conducted and planned within specific federal agencies and proposed recommendations on areas of health disparities research that might benefit from cross-agency collaboration.

Each working group was asked to brainstorm a list of existing and potential collaborative research projects (see Appendix 4 for the full list of research topics that addressed the eight topics). Each then narrowed its list to 4-6 research initiatives with highest potential for collaboration and impact using criteria developed in an earlier session (i.e., need for research and opportunity for research). Research priorities for each health subject area were developed resulting in 23 priority topics for collaboration (Table II). Each working group included a minimum of four individuals representing different agencies.

Breakout Session II: Prioritizing Collaborative Opportunities

During this portion of the Federal Partners Meeting, participants were charged with selecting eight priority research areas from the list of 23 recommended research topics developed during Breakout Session I). Before engaging in the selection process, meeting attendees were given the opportunity to lobby for specific research topics. The following statements capture participant comments:

• Increasing the number of minority health-care researchers and providers is crucial in reducing health disparities.
• Research into the built environment and relationships between vulnerable populations is important, as these populations often are “hidden” until a crisis occurs.
• A systems approach to obesity is needed. Specifically, simple approaches to the problem of obesity fail, and a more complex effort is warranted.
• The management of comorbidities is important because it helps eliminate agency and disease silos.
• Capacity issues in global health must be further addressed, because solutions to these problems likely already exist.
• Access to mental health services must be increased, because this substantial population is often hidden from view.
• A better evidence base is needed regarding dealing with climate change and all associated emergencies.
• Because many diseases also cause depression and other mental health problems, studying comorbidities for diseases is important.
• The problem of obesity must be addressed, because this problem can easily increase substantially in the upcoming decades.
• Researching trauma across the life span and its effect on mental health offers a good opportunity for collaboration, because this type of research eliminates silos.
• The systems issue is important. Vaccine coverage may be a good candidate for being addressed through a systems approach.
• Effective provision of mental health care is critical in the preparedness realm and others.

Participants were allowed to select eight research topics (four high priorities and four low priorities). High priority topics were assigned a point value of four and low priority topics were assigned a point value of one. This resulting 23 priority topics were ranked into three tiers. The results have been summarized in Tables III, IV and V. The participants voted to include C2 and H3 (see Table IV) in the second tier to ensure that each of the original eight health disparities categories were represented in the list of priorities.

During the session, a concern arose that the results may be skewed if participants voted primarily for the topics from the health category in which they initially participated. This was a concern because some health topic categories were represented by as few as four people and others by as many as 11 or 12. During the session, the results were rechecked using a different method and the same result was obtained. The meeting facilitator suggested that no change in the ranking was needed as a result of the second analysis.

Past Processes and Strategies for Research Collaboration

Dr. Sherry Baron shared past experiences and strategies used by CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) regarding interagency research collaboration. In 1996, NIOSH undertook the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) with the goal of developing a national partnership to define and conduct priority occupational safety and health research. The mission of NORA was to a) seek stakeholder input, b) identify research priorities for the nation, c) work together to address priorities, and d) leverage funds to support research in priority areas. Through NORA, a national research agenda was created with broad input from more than 500 stakeholders and organizations. A total of 21 priority research areas were identified and organized into three clusters: 1) disease and injury, 2) research tools and approaches, and 3) work environment and workforce. Teams consisting of intramural and extramural professionals (e.g., employers, members of academia, scientists, and NIOSH staff) were developed to address each of the 21 research priority areas. These teams used the broad priority areas to develop an elaborate and full research agenda.

NORA proved to be successful. Through the project, many resources were leveraged for priority research, research in priority areas was stimulated, and a coordinated federal effort was sparked.

NIOSH is now in the second decade of NORA-related activities. The agency recently finished a series of town hall meetings involving more than 1,500 participants with the goal of moving research to practice (i.e., translational research). NIOSH used the following concrete steps when initiating these collaborative projects: a) organizing a series of conferences with potential grantees and stakeholders to gain input; b) conducting outreach to attract other federal co-funders; formulating and disseminating a common Request for Application; c) providing a recommendation for a peer review panel; d) reviewing proposals to determine those that best fit the mandate; and e) participating in periodic grantee meetings.

Proposal to Create a Health Disparities Research Meeting Planning Collaborative

Breakout Session III: Identifying Subject Matter Experts for Each Research Priority

Meeting participants were asked to identify additional subject matter experts (SMEs) capable of providing recommendations for moving collaborative efforts forward. Sixty SMEs were identified by health disparities category topic areas (Appendix 5). These experts will be included in future meetings and phases of development.

Next Steps

The ownership, longevity, and momentum for this effort will evolve. Leadership within the Office of Public Health Research, Office of the Chief Science Officer, CDC will continue to work closely with the HHS Office of Minority Health and the HHS Health Disparities Council to plan the next Federal Partners Meeting and to ensure appropriate coordination in setting priorities for eliminating health disparities. Participants will receive a summary of the meeting as the basis for future efforts. A collaborative work group will begin meeting to plan the next collaborative phase.

Several general recommendations were made by participants regarding next steps. These include the need to

• get leadership buy-in from participating agencies;
• identify resources existing within each agency (i.e., a list of existing successful collaboratives and current investment in research categories by agency);
• Involve subject matter experts and their buy-in;
• establish real incentives for collaboration;
• map out the terms of collaboration and indicate meaningful benefit; and
• Establish methods for evaluating the collaborations.

Closing Remarks

Dr. Snider thanked all meeting participants, including agency representatives, Meeting Facilitator Mr. Michael Wilkinson, and all staff members who worked to coordinate the May 2006 Federal Partners Meeting. Dr. Snider noted that the meeting represents a significant step towards the effort to bring HHS agencies together to address health disparities. Meeting participants contributed significantly in identifying priority collaborative research areas; however, CDC and HHS working with partners remain committed to moving the collaborative process forward and taking additional steps towards reducing health disparities throughout the country and around the globe.

Appendix 1. Meeting Agenda

Federal Partners Meeting:
Collaborative Research Efforts to
Eliminate Health Disparities
Draft Agenda

Wednesday, May 24, 2006 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Omni Shoreham Hotel
2500 Calvert Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008
Empire Ballroom

Appendix 2. List of Meeting Participants

Elizabeth Arias (monitor)
Health Scientist
National Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
3311 Toledo Road
Room 7330
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Phone: 301-458-4034
Fax: 304-458-4034
earias@cdc.gov

Leslie Atkinson
Director
Research Endowment Program
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities
National Institutes of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
6707 Democracy Blvd.
Suite 800
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: 301-402-1366
Fax: 301-480-4049
atkinsonl@mail.nih.gov

Hani Atrash
Associate Director for Program Development
National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
MS E-87
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-498-3075
Fax: 404-498-3075
Hatrash@cdc.gov

Sherry Baron
Coordinator for Health Disparities
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
4676 Columbia Parkway R-13
Cincinnati, OH 45226
Phone: 513-458-7159
Fax: 513-841-4486
Sbaron@cdc.com

Mirtha Beadle
Deputy Director
Office of Minority Health
Office of the Secretary
Office of Public Health and Science
Department of Health and Human Services
1101 Wootten Parkway
Suite 600
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 240-453-2882
Fax: 240-453-2883
mbeadle@osophs.hhs.gov

Deborah Birx
Director
Global AIDS Program
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-6137
Fax: 404-639-4268
dbirx@cdc.gov

Carter Blakey
Healthy People Team Leader
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office of the Secretary
Office of Public Health and Science
Department of Health and Human Services
1101 Wootten Parkway, LL100
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 240-453-8254
Fax: 240-453-8282
cblakey@osophs.dhhs.gov

Karen Bouye
Health Scientist/Senior Advisor for Research
Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities
Office of Strategy and Innovation
Office of the Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE MS E-67
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-498-2325
Fax: 404-498-2355
Keh2@cdc.gov

Richard Bragg
Minority Health Services Research Coordinator
Office of Research, Development and Information
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Department of Health and Human Services
CENT C3-23-06
MS C3-21-06
Baltimore, MD 21244
Phone: 410-786-7250
rbragg@cms.hhs.gov

Robert Buchanan
Senior Science Advisor
Center for Food, Safety and Applied Nutrition
Food and Drug Administration
Department of Health and Human Services
5100 Paint Branch Parkway
Suite 28064 Internal Code: HSFS06
College Park, MD 20740
Phone: 301-436-2369
Fax: 301-436-2641
robert.buchanan@fda.hhs.gov

Roger Bulger
Acting Deputy Director
National Center of Minority Health and Health Disparities
National Institutes of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
6707 Democracy Blvd.
Bethesda, MD 20892-5465
Phone: 301-402-1366
Fax: 301-480-4049
rb493d@nih.gov

Audrey L. Burwell
Public Health Analyst
Office of Minority Health
Office of Public Health and Science
Office of the Secretary
Department of Health and Human Services
1101 Wootten Parkway
Suite 600
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 240-453-8222
Fax: 240-453-8223
Audrey.Burwell@hhs.gov

Dana Carr
Health Specialist
Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave., SW
Room 3E100
Washington, DC 20202
Phone: 202-260-0823
Fax: 202-260-7767
Dana.Carr@ed.gov

Francis Chesley
Director
Office of Extramural Research, Education, and Priority Populations
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Department of Health and Human Services
540 Gaither Road
Room 2034
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 301-427-1521
Fax: 301-427-1562
francis.chesley@ahrg.hhs.gov

Joan Cioffi
Division Director
Strategic Workforce Activities
Office of Workforce and Career Development
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
MS E-95
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-498-6429
Fax: 404-498-6025
vzc1@cdc.gov

Richard Compton
Director
Office of Research and Technology
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Department of Transportation
Phone: 202-366-9591
richard.compton@nhtsa.dot.gov

Rosaly Correa-de-Araujo
Director
Women's Health and Gender-based Research
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Department of Health and Human Services
540 Gaither Road
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 301-427-1550
Fax: 301-427-1562 Rosaly.correa@ahrg.hhs.gov

Cecilia Curry (monitor)
Health Scientist
Office of the Chief Science Officer
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
MS D-14
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-7303
Fax: 404-639-7171
ccurry@cdc.gov

Hazel Dean
Associate Director for Health Disparities
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd. NE
MS-E07
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-8009
Fax: 404-639-8629
Hdean@cdc.gov

Kay Dellinger
Medical Officer
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Department of Labor
200 Constitution Ave., NW
Room N3653
Washington DC 20210
Phone: 202-693-2011
Fax: 202-693-1647
kay.dellinger@osha.gov

Richard Denby
Assistant Division Chief Estimation and Processing
Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division
Census Bureau
Department of Commerce
Room 1071-3
4700 Silver Hill Rd.
Suitland, MD 20746
Phone: 301-763-6810
Fax: 301-457-3248
Richard.a.denby@census.gov

Natalie Dupree (monitor)
Epidemiologist
National Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
3311 Toledo Rd.
Room 4329
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Phone: 301-458-4196
Fax: 301-458-4028
ndupree@cdc.gov

V. Jeffrey Evans
Director of Intergenerational Research
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Institutes of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
6100 Executive Blvd.
Room 8B07
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 301-496-1176
Fax: 301-496-0962
evansvj@mail.nih.gov

Kevin Fenton
Director
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE MS E-07
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-8000
Fax: 404-639-8600
Kif2@cdc.gov

Frances E. Ferguson
Program Director
Office of Minority Health Research Coordination
National Institutes of Health
6707 Democracy Blvd. 644
Bethesda, MD 20892-5454
Phone: 301-594-9652
Fax: 301-594-9358
ff54t@NIH.gov

Michael J. Fine
Director
VISN 4 Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion
Associate Director
Center for Research on Health Care
Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System (151-C)
University Drive C, MB #28
Suite 1A102
Pittsburgh, PA 15240
Phone: 412-688-6000x4867
Fax: 412-688-6527
finemj@upmc.edu

Shirley Gerrior
National Program Leader
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., SW Stop 2225
Washington, DC 20250-2225
Phone: 202-720-4124
Fax: 202-720-9366
sgerrior@csrees.usda.gov

Wayne Giles
Acting Director
Division of Adult and Community Health
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
4770 Buford Hwy., NE
MS K-45
Atlanta, GA 30341
Phone: 770-488-5269
Fax: 770-488-5964
Hwg0@cdc.gov

Garth Graham
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health
Office of Public Health and Science
Office of the Secretary Health and Science
Department of Health and Human Services
1101 Wootten Parkway
Suite 600
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 240-453-2882
Fax: 240-453-2883
ggraham@osophs.hhs.gov

Mary Guthrie
Acting Director
Center for Planning and Policy Development
Administration on Aging
Department of Health and Human Services
One Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-357-3443
Fax: 202-357-3469
Mary.guthrie@aoa.hhs.gov

Wilbur Hadden (monitor)
Statistician
National Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
3311 Toledo Rd.
Room 4112
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Phone: 301-458-4249
Whadden@cdc.gov

Brady Hamilton (monitor)
Statistician
National Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
HYAT Bldg IV
Room 7416
MS P-08
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Phone: 301.458.4653
Fax: 301.458.4033
BHamilton@cdc.gov

Milton Hernandez
Director Office of Special Populations
Division of Extramural Activities
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institutes of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
6700B Rockledge Drive
Room 2101
Bethesda, MD 20892-7610
Phone: 301-496-3775
mhernandez@niaid.nih.gov

Laura Hoard
Society for Research in Child Development Executive Branch Policy Fellow
Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation
Administration for Children and Families
Department of Health and Human Services
370 L'Enfant Promenade SW
7th Floor West
Washington, DC 20447
Phone: 202-401-5600
Fax: 202-205-3598
lhoard@acf.hhs.gov

Larke Huang
Senior Advisor on Children
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Department of Health and Human Services
1 Choke Cherry Rd.
Rockville, MD 20857
Phone: 240-276-2000
Fax: 240-276-1010
Larke.huang@samhsa.hhs.gov

Doug Hussey
Director
Division of Scientific Planning and Policy Analysis
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities
National Institutes of Health
Department for Health and Human Services
6707 Democracy Blvd.
Suite 800
MSC 5465
Bethesda, MD 20892-5465
Phone: 301-402-1366
Fax: 301-480-4049
dh11X@nih.gov

Robin Ikeda
Associate Director for Science
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
4770 Buford Hwy., NE
MS K-02
Atlanta, GA 30341
Phone: 770-488-1430
Fax: 770-488-4422
rikeda@cdc.gov

Wanda Jones
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Office on Women’s Health
Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave., SW Room 712E
Washington, DC 20201
Phone: 202-260-4432
Fax: 202-401-4005
Wanda.Jones@hhs.gov

Ken Keppel
Statistician
National Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
3311 Toledo Road
Room 6314
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Phone: 301-458-4310
Fax: 301-458-4036
Kkeppel@cdc.gov

Molly Kretsch
National Program Leader
Human Nutrition
Department of Agriculture
5601 Sunnyside Ave., #3-2192
Beltsville, MD 20704
Phone: 301-504-4788
Fax: 301-504-4725
mjk@ars.usda.gov

Charles Lee
Associate Director
Office of Environmental Justice
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW (2201 A)
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: 202-564-2597
Fax: 202-564-1624
lee.charles@epa.gov

Diane Makuc
Associate Director for Science

Office of Analysis and Epidemiology National Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
NCHS, 3311 Toledo Rd
Room 6207
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Phone: 301-458-4360
Fax: 301-458-4037
Dmakuc@cdc.gov

Ernest Marquez
Associate Director for Special Populations
National Institute of Mental Health
National Institute of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
6001 Executive Blvd.
Room 8127
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: 301-443-2847
marquez1@mail.nih.gov

John Maynard
Public Health Analyst
Coordinating Office of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
MS D-29
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-7305
Fax: 404-639-7424
JMaynard@cdc.gov">JMaynard@cdc.gov

Capt. Ron McCuan
Public Health Analyst
Community Corrections
National Institute of Corrections
Department of Justice
320 First Street, NW
Room 5007
Washington, DC 20534
Phone: 202-307-0147
Fax: 202-305-2185
RMcCuan@bop.gov

Kathleen McDuffie
Associate Director for Science
National Center for Health Marketing
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
MS E-21
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-498-1114
Fax: 404-498-1112
KMcDuffie@cdc.gov

Cindi Melanson (monitor)
Health Scientist
Office of Public Health Research
Office of the Chief Science Officer
Office of the Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
MS D72
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-4854
Fax: 404-639-4903
Cmelanson@cdc.gov

Helena Mishoe
Associate Director for Minority Health
Office of Minority Health Affairs National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
National Institutes of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
Two Rockledge Center
Room 8188
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: 301-451-5081
Fax: 301-480-0862
Mishoeh@nhlbi.nih.gov

Deborah Olster
Acting Deputy Director
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research
National Institutes of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
Building 31 MSC 2027
Room B2B37,
31 Center Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: 301-402-1147
Fax: 301-402-1150
olsterd@od.nih.gov

Devon Payne-Sturges
Environmental Health Scientist
Office of Children's Health Protection
Unites States Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Ariel Rios Bldg. MC1107A
Washington, DC 20460
Phone: 202-564-2706
Fax: 202-564-2733
payne-sturges.devon@epa.gov

Constance Pledger
Associate Director
Division of Research Services
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-2700
Phone: 202-245-7480
Fax: 202-245-7323
connie.pledger@ed.gov

Roberto Potter
Public Health Advisor
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
MS D-21
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-8011
Fax: 404-639-8629
hbp3@cdc.gov

Susan Queen
Deputy Director
Research and Data Policy Group
Office of Planning and Evaluation
Health Resources and Services Administration,
Department of Health and Human Services
5600 Fishers Lane
Room 10-33
Rockville, MD 20857
Phone: 301-443-1129
Fax: 301-443-2286
squeen@hrsa.gov

Jamila Rashid
Team Leader
Research Agenda and Promotion
Senior Advisor
Special Populations
Office of Public Health Research
Office of the Chief Science Officer
Office of the Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-4658
Fax: 404-639-4903
jrashid@cdc.gov

P.J. Rivera
Program Analyst
Office of the Administrator
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Department of Health and Human Services
1 Choke Cherry Rd.
Room 8-1062
Rockville, MD 20857
Phone: 240-276-2906
Fax: 240-276-2010
PJ.Rivera@samhsa.hhs.gov

Jeannine Schiller (monitor)
Statistician
Division of Health Interview Statistics
National Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
3311 Toledo Rd.
Room 2334
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Phone: 301-458-4470
Fax: 301-458-4961
Jschiller@cdc.gov

Eduardo Simoes
Program Director
Prevention Research Centers
Division of Adult and Community Health
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
4770 Buford Hwy., NE
MS K-45
Atlanta, GA 30341
Phone: 770-488-5586
Fax: 770-488-5486
ESimoes@cdc.gov

Diane Simpson
Acting Associate Director for Science
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
MS E-05
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-6128
Fax: 404-639-0108
dsimpson@cdc.gov

James H. Simpson
Program Analyst
Office of Minority Health
Office of Public Health and Science
Office of the Secretary
Department of Health and Human Services
1101 Wootten Parkway
Suite 600
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 240-453-8222
Fax: 240-453-8223
JSimpson@osophs.hhs.gov

Tom Sinks
Deputy Director
National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
MS E-28
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-498-0004
Fax: 404-498-0083
Tsinks@cdc.gov

Adam Slote
Asia and Near East Team Leader
Regional and Country Support
United States Agency for International Development
1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
USAID/GH/RCS 3.6-81
Washington, DC 20523
Phone: 202-712-0253
Fax: 610-300-4961
aslote@usaid.gov

Phillip Smith
Director
Office of Public Health
Indian Health Service
Department of Health and Human Services
801 Thompson Ave
Suite 450/TMP
Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: 301-443-4700
Fax: 301-443-0114
Phillip.Smith@ihs.gov

Dixie Snider
Chief Science Officer (retired)
Special Consultant
Office of the Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
MS D-14
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-7000
Fax: 404-639-7171
Dsnider@cdc.gov

Nancy Sonnenfeld (monitor)
Public Health Analyst
National Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
HYAT Bldg IV
Room 3311, MS P08
Hyattsville, MD 20782
Phone: 301.458.4156
Fax: 301.458.4693
NSonnenfeld@cdc.gov

Daniel Sosin
Senior Advisor for Science and Public Health Practice
Coordinating Office of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
MS D-44
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-1528
Fax: 404-639-7977
Dsosin@cdc.gov

Robert Spengler
Director
Office of Public Health Research
Office of the Chief Science Officer
Office of the Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
Building 21, Room 8031
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-4899
Fax: 404-639-4903
rys2@cdc.gov

Edith Thomas
National Program Leader
Families, 4H, and Nutrition
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
Department of Agriculture
800 9th Street, SW
Waterfront Centre
Room 4475
Washington, DC 20024
Phone: 202-690-4568
Fax: 202-720-9366
ethomas@csrees.usda.gov

Benedict I. Truman
Associate Director for Science
Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities
Office of Strategy and Innovation Office of the Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
MS E-67
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-498-2320
Fax: 404-498-2355
btruman@cdc.gov

Nadarjen A. Vydelingum
Deputy Director
Center to Reduce Health Disparities
National Cancer Institute
National Institutes of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
6116 Executive Blvd.
Suite 602, Rm. 6036
MSE 8341
Rockville, MD 20852-8341
Phone: 301-402-8342
Fax: 301-435-9225
vydelinn@mail.nih.gov

Robin Wagner
Associate Director for Research Planning and Evaluation
Office of Public Health Research
Office of the Chief Science Officer
Office of the Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
Building 21, Room 8029
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-4898
Fax: 404-639-4903
RIW8@cdc.gov

Mark White
Associate Director for Science and Strategy
Office of Capacity Development and Program Coordination Coordinating Office for Global Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
MS E-93
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-639-3320
Fax: 404-639-7490
mwhite2@cdc.gov

Michael Wilkinson (facilitator)
Chief Executive Officer
Leadership Strategies – The Facilitation Company
4200 Perimeter Park South #207
Atlanta, Georgia 30341
Phone: 770-454-1440

Walter Williams
Captain
United States Public Health Service
Associate Director for Minority Health and Director
Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities
Office of Strategy and Innovation
Office of the Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Department of Health and Human Services
1600 Clifton Rd., NE
MS E-67
Atlanta, GA 30333
Phone: 404-498-2310
Fax: 404-498-2360
www1@cdc.gov

Rachel Wilson (monitor)
Freelance Medical Writer/Editor
301Raintree Bend
Peachtree City, GA 30269
Phone: 770-632-0673
ajnchach@bellsouth.net

Appendix 3. Question and Answer Session

• Q: For existing collaborations, what was the driver for current collaborations? Would it be useful to build on existing drivers?
  A: The driver for NIH was a mandate by Congress to create the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Although NIH was working to address disparities, the mandate served as a formal plan. In elucidating ways to bring experts together to improve community outreach, the National Center reached out to CDC for collaboration.
  
  
• Q: How were existing collaborations formed and what are the hurdles that were overcome?
  A: For AHRQ's health-insurance-plan collaborative, one barrier was the function of the private companies as market place competitors. To overcome this hurdle, Department of Justice legal representatives were asked to become involved with the collaborative process. Another barrier faced was that the private health insurance companies needed a trusted federal source; however, AHRQ needed the resources and labs possessed by private industry. In this instance, limited resources and shared objectives resulted in a successful formula for collaboration.
  
  
• Q: Have good markers, or indicators, of the impact of community participation been identified?
  A: At EPA, a wealth of information is available regarding the impact of community participation; this type of practice has been shown to be highly successful. For example, under CDC's REACH 2010 initiative, good outcomes resulted from engaging communities and having them create their own plans to address health disparities. Other projects also have been extremely successful.
  
  
• Q: What are the factors that encourage and facilitate collaboration?
  A: Hurricane Katrina facilitated a type of collaboration that had never been envisioned by HHS agencies. As a result of this natural disaster, HHS thought through what could happen and began to think and act differently. For example, a new role for the NIH Centers of Excellence was developed for centers located in the Louisiana and Mississippi region. Also, according to Dr. Dixie Snider, when there are common goals, collaboration happens more naturally. The establishment of common goals has driven many successful programmatic collaborative efforts, including vaccines and blood safety.
  
  
• Q: Are we ready to identify successful collaborations across federal agencies?
  A: One goal of the Federal Partners Meeting is to identify existing working collaborations to avoid "reinventing the wheel."
  
  
• Q: Can each presenter give one sentence as a point of synergy for collaboration within their agencies?
  A: For NIH, the synergy is the agency's Centers of Excellence; for EPA, it is its collaborations in the built environment and public health; for AHRQ, it is the agency's health reports and access to key stakeholders; for CDC, it is the agency's access to national data, subject matter expertise, resources, and key laboratories that are not duplicated elsewhere.
  
  
• Q: Can you provide examples of successful interagency collaboration?
  A: HHS participated in a health disparities working group to develop a strategic plan to address health disparities. This type of working group serves as a model for addressing health disparities by bringing resources together.
  
  
• Q: What can we do globally in terms of collaboration?
  A: The director of NIH is also concerned with international collaboration. Within NCMHD, there has been an investment through NIH's John E. Fogerty International Center to bring the minority serving institutions relevant to certain geographic regions around the world to build relationships and work on problems. In addition, the emerging avian flu situation, along with emphasis on AIDS, TB, and malaria, has opened a dialogue between CDC, NIH, DOD, USAID and the State Department to try to think through global health strategies. Thinking of global health as a diplomatic effort to create good will around the globe inspires collaboration. Although many agencies agree that obtaining synergy regarding global health is more beneficial than engaging in individual, agency-specific efforts, this conversation needs to continue and move forward.
  
  
• Q: Can we have clarification regarding why NIH is reducing the number of funded Centers of Excellence from 71 to 50?
  A: During the first funding cycle (i.e., 5 years), NIH funded 71 Centers of Excellence; however, for the next cycle, the actual number of centers might be reduced to ensure that each center is adequately funded. The amount of funding expected for the next 5-year cycle is $1.0-$1.5 million per year. However, the request for applications (RFA) has just gone out, and the agency is still unsure how many applicants will respond. This shift in funding is not an effort to contract the Centers of Excellence initiative, but rather to spend money more wisely.

Appendix 4. Research Collaboration Opportunities

During the breakout session to identify research collaboration opportunities, each breakout group identified opportunities and selected up to three to present to the entire group as potential priorities for collaborative research. The broad, “brainstorming” list of existing and potential collaborations and other work products produced during the session appear in the following table by health category.*

Appendix 5. Subject Matter Experts