Whole Health Consortium’s first year shows growth and innovation in health and well-being solutions
Heather Davis believes seeds planted at the beginning of the year can grow into mental health interventions for caregivers experiencing food insecurity.
"People experiencing food insecurity are two to four times more likely to experience mental health concerns," said Davis, assistant professor of psychology. "Unfortunately, they also face more barriers to obtaining mental health care.”
In January, Davis and her colleagues were one of four transdisciplinary research teams awarded the first seed grants from the Whole Health Consortium at Virginia Tech, which is sponsored by the Institute for Society and Environment.
“Our seed grant allowed us to engage with the community to understand their needs and preferences for a mental health intervention,” Davis said.
The seed grants were just one highlight of the consortium’s successful first year. Marked by a flourishing network of members, impactful collaborations, and vibrant community engagement, the consortium has made significant strides in advancing whole health research and fostering transdisciplinary partnerships.
"This past year, the consortium was just getting started. We didn't have a strategic plan in place or a roadmap of where we were going and how we were going to get there," said Tina Savla, professor of human development and family science and new director of the Whole Health Consortium. "Now with a network of over 100 members, we are looking to be more strategic in the coming year, focusing on understanding community needs and fostering meaningful partnerships."
The consortium brings together university faculty, clinicians, community partners, and Virginia Tech graduate students that are committed to improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities.
Aligning with this goal, the consortium provides annual funding for critical research, providing a foundation for teams to develop more robust research proposals that aim to compete for larger, more substantial future grants. Letters of intent are due by Sept. 13 for a second round of seed funding.
Although in its infancy, the consortium has already created numerous opportunities for members to connect and collaborate. Through virtual and in-person meetings and workshops, along with seed and flash funding opportunities, the consortium has laid the groundwork for future initiatives to further strengthen its commitment to whole health research.
“Transdisciplinary and community-based research is essential to understand how genetic factors interact with the social and environmental contexts in which people live and work,” said Lee Learman, active faculty consortium member and the dean of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. “The consortium's focus on the interplay of physical, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being sets it apart from groups that focus exclusively on the prevention and treatment of specific diseases.”
Whole health is an emerging field centered on transdisciplinary collaboration, blending traditional and modern approaches to explore equitable health and wellness solutions that help people and communities pursue healthy, meaningful lives. The consortium does this by leveraging a range of expertise from community, industry, and clinical partners to transform systems, research, practices, and policies affecting holistic health.
One of the consortium’s key accomplishments was the launch of its annual seed grant opportunity, which provided teams the support needed to start innovative, community-engaged health research.
Along with the funding, Davis said she also met two of her team members through the consortium, highlighting how it fosters new collaborations and connects researchers with shared interests.
“I was fortunate to meet two of my seed grant team members at the pre-launch event for the Whole Health Consortium, and we quickly realized our research interests overlapped,” Davis said.
Through their collaborative research, Davis and the team plan to develop a mental health intervention that is tailored to the specific needs of caregivers of young children experiencing food insecurity. Following initial development, the intervention will be tested in combination with an evidence-based nutrition education program to allow for mental health support alongside support for food insecurity.
They have concluded data collection, and their preliminary data analyses indicate the need for accessible mental health interventions for caregivers experiencing food insecurity is becoming increasingly more evident. Within just one month, 139 caregivers experiencing food insecurity and recruited from nutrition education programs expressed interest in contributing to the research, with 94 percent reporting clinical levels of anxiety and/or depression symptoms.
“The seed grant has benefited us by providing the necessary resources to collect strong preliminary data to support multiple larger-scale grant applications,” Davis said. “As an early career researcher, I am grateful to have the consortium’s support in collecting data that not only helps me connect with the communities I hope to serve in my work, but also helps me strengthen applications for the extramural funding that I need to do the large-scale work that will make a positive impact on those communities.”
The consortium's first-year achievements also stem from its focus on community engagement and collaboration through unique opportunities. At the consortium's annual meeting in April, this dynamic approach to health was highlighted through community-engaged research panels, facilitated guided networking activities, and a surprise flash funding opportunity.
The flash funding initiative was only open for a week and provided $500 of support to six research teams to get their ideas off the ground. Each team had to be composed of four or more participants, led or co-led by a Virginia Tech faculty member, and include at least one participant from a community organization. These teams are now exploring new avenues for whole health research, further expanding the consortium’s impact.
“It's rare to have a networking opportunity that is across disciplines. Sometimes we become siloed and only collaborate with people who speak the same language and who ask the same questions that we do because it's comfortable,” said Rena "Liz" Courtney, director of the PREVAIL Center for Chronic Pain Program, active community consortium member, and flash funding awardee. “At the Whole Health Consortium, you're surrounded by people that look at the same problem from a different lens and have a different approach to solve that problem.”
As the consortium enters its second year, the leadership council is concentrating on strategic ways to expand member opportunities and community engagement. This includes not only organizing events, providing learning opportunities, and expanding resources for members but also understanding community needs and identifying gaps in research necessary to address them.
"We want to understand where the gaps are in research and what the needs of the communities are," Savla said. "By doing so, we can put in place partnership agreements and ensure that our research is not just for the sake of research but is truly impactful and meaningful."
Looking ahead, the consortium remains dedicated to its mission of enhancing health and well-being through transdisciplinary collaboration and community engagement. It plans to conduct focus meetings with community and clinical partners to identify pressing health issues and explore potential collaborations. Additionally, the consortium will continue to offer funding, including its second annual seed grant opportunity, and will host networking events, workshops, and invited talks to further enrich the member experience.
“The growth in membership in just one year shows that people wanted another way to connect with other researchers, clinicians, students, and community members,” Savla said. “People are eager to come together and engage in collaborative work, moving away from siloed approaches.”
