Total Worker Health R2P Hub ("Research to Practice")
Principal Investigator: Suzanne Nobrega, MS
Center Outreach Director, Department of Biomedical Engineering, UMass Lowell
Project Period: 2021-2026
The CPH-NEW Outreach Core translates the knowledge generated through our research and practice into education and tools for implementing Total Worker Health (TWH) in real-world settings.
Our goals for the next five years:
- continuing to increase engagement with Total Worker Health research, educational materials, implementation tools and disseminating TWH knowledge and tools via Digital communications;
- building competencies of practitioners by developing and evaluating continuing education e-Learning courses;
- increasing the capacity of employer organizations to implement and sustain participatory TWH programs; and
- facilitating a transition of our prior work with the corrections sector from a researcher-guided model to an organizationally self-sustaining program.
Through these activities, the CPH-NEW TWH r2p Hub will continue to serve as a vibrant learning and development center for practitioners, public health and labor leaders, and employers who wish to catalyze change for healthier work and a healthier workforce. Our work will support occupational safety and health professionals, employers, and workers as they address the need for a more integrated focus for worker safety, health, and well-being.
A major research-to-practice product from our Center, freely available in its entirety in downloadable format on our website, is the Healthy Workplace Participatory Program (including the IDEAS Tool) for engaging employees in intervention planning. It has been utilized successfully in several past studies of our own as well by others.
We recognize the importance of networking with potential partners on the regional, national, and international levels. Future outreach activities of the Core will continue to engage researchers and practitioners to promote the expansion of healthy workplace concepts and practices.