UNC Asheville Awarded $839,890.00 Grant from Dogwood Health Trust for Research to Improve Health Outcomes in Western North Carolina

UNC Asheville is the recipient of a $839,890.00 grant from Dogwood Health Trust (DHT) to support the University’s work as part of the Health Policy Research Consortium (HPRC) — an initiative that conducts research to influence policymaking that will positively affect the health of residents of Western North Carolina.

A substantial investment, the two-year grant will enable the NC Center for Health and Wellness (NCCHW) at UNC Asheville to conduct rigorous research related to HPRC’s four focus areas: mental health, substance use, housing, and food security. Established in 2024 through a prior grant from DHT, the consortium includes partners from Appalachian State, East Tennessee State University, Western Carolina University and the Western North Carolina Health Network.

“The UNCA team of faculty, staff, and students hopes that our research will inform policy change that contributes to the wellbeing of communities across this region,” says Emma Olson, Interim Executive Director of NCCHW. “Working in partnership with community leaders, we will utilize research results to educate decision-makers about opportunities for improving the health of Western North Carolinians.”

Research focus areas were selected collaboratively by the member institutions of the Health Policy Research Consortium with input from a community advisory committee and based on data from the WNC Community Health Assessment, a regional survey that is conducted every three years and coordinated by HPRC member organization WNC Health Network.

UNCA’s award activities will be led by the NC Center for Health and Wellness (NCCHW) and will support research focused on:

• Outcomes of select social interventions such as the Healthy Opportunities Pilot for Medicaid enrollees and systems, including after service discontinuation;
• Multi-level impacts of local food share markets and potential for model policies;
• A comparative analysis of affordable housing policy options in Buncombe County;
• Regional policy-driven solutions to improve health, including mental health outcomes; and
• Effects of varying levels of funded time in recovery housing on individual-level engagement and outcomes.

The grant will fund project staff time, partnerships with community organizations, student and faculty involvement and dissemination of research findings.

UNC Asheville’s efforts in the consortium are led by Emma Olson, MPH, MSW, Interim Executive Director and Associate Director of the NC Center for Health and Wellness; Alex Mitchell, MPH, NCCHW’s Culture of Results Senior Project Manager; and Dr. Ameena Batada, Professor of Health Sciences and Faculty Consultant with NCCHW. Additional faculty include Dr. Aubri Rote, the Chair of the Health Sciences Department, Dr. Kedai Cheng of the Mathematics Department, and Dr. Melissa Mahoney of the Economics Department as well as additional faculty in the second year focused on emergent projects. Over twenty five students will be engaged including undergraduates and those in the Master of Public Health program and new Master of Science in Environmental Resilience program.

For more information about the NC Center for Health and Wellness, visit https://ncchw.unca.edu/.

About UNC Asheville

Founded in 1927, UNC Asheville is a proud member of the University of North Carolina System. With award-winning faculty, small class sizes, and 60+ academic programs in the natural sciences, human sciences, humanities, arts, and social sciences, the University is recognized for its robust paid internship programs to prepare students to immediately enter the workforce. In the US News & World Report 2025 edition of Best Colleges, UNC Asheville is ranked No. #9 in Top Public Schools, and No. #7 in Princeton Review’s 2025 Top 50 Guide to Green Colleges. Known as the Bulldogs, UNC Asheville student-athletes compete in 16 NCAA Division I Teams in the Big South Conference. For more information, please visit: www.unca.edu.

About HPRC

Established in 2024, the Health Policy Research Consortium (HPRC) works collaboratively to develop and implement a shared research agenda addressing factors that influence health in WNC. The Dogwood Health Trust launched HPRC to better understand and respond to the needs of people and communities in Western North Carolina. At UNC Asheville, HPRC works in close collaboration with the WNC Health Policy Initiative (HPI), hosted by the North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness (NCCHW), to coordinate research and sharing opportunities that can inform policies and improve health. HPRC also works in alignment with NCCHW’s Culture of Results (CoR)Initiative by conducting rigorous, community informed research.

About Dogwood Health Trust

Dogwood Health Trust is a private foundation based in Asheville, North Carolina with the sole purpose of dramatically improving the health and wellbeing of all people and communities of 18 counties and the Qualla Boundary in Western North Carolina. Dogwood Health Trust focuses on innovative and equitable ways to address the many factors that contribute to overall health and wellbeing. With a focus on housing, education, economic opportunity and health and wellness, Dogwood Health Trust works to create a Western North Carolina where every generation can live, learn, earn and thrive, with dignity and opportunity for all, no exceptions. To learn more, please visit www.dht.org.