Current Projects & Grants
Current Projects
Community Needs Assessment
HWB partners with a number of centers on the CSUN campus that aim to help both the on and off campus community.
Mindfulness Programs
HWB presents our virtual wellbeing programming with Mindfulness Mondays. We offer weekly opportunities for students, staff, faculty, and the San Fernando Valley community to press pause on their busy schedules and engage in an intentional self-care practice.
Wellbeing Centers
Campus
Lactation
Aiming to normalize breastfeeding at CSUN and beyond, various lactation spaces and support are provided on campus. Starting in April 2024 the Women's Research and Resource Center will now manage all lactation spaces on campus.
Email lactaction@csun.edu for space reservations.
Community
Subpac
This is a study examining the effects of cutting edge SubPac technology. SubPac is a wearable tactile vest that allows individuals to be fully immersed in a vibro-acoustic experience. The SubPac vest uses transducers to simulate low bass frequencies to give the listener a fully tactile, immersive music experience. Such technologies can be used to reduce stress, promote wellbeing, and enhance positive emotional experiences.
Valley GO!
Valley GO! is an adaptive sports program for veterans with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities. It’s purpose is to increase participation in physical activity and improve quality of life for veterans with disabilities in the San Fernando Valley. The program is a collaboration between the Center of Achievement for Adapted Physical Activity, the Aquatic Center at Castaic Lake, and the Triumph Foundation, a support organization for individuals with spinal cord injury.
Neighborhood Partners in Action
Neighborhood Partners in Action plays a key role in engaging the local community in efforts to optimize Canoga Park neighborhood resources and relationships. The results of these efforts are an ever evolving promotion of community health and wellbeing within the Canoga Park community as well as among faculty and students at CSUN. Current NPA related projects include: CSUN CalFresh Healthy Living (funded by the LACDPH) and Bridge to the Future.
Current Grants
LISTOS grant with Dignity Health Hospital/ Commonspirit and LA Department of Public Health:
The term “listos” translates to “ready” in Spanish, illustrating a sense of preparedness and security. LISTOS is an initiative launched by California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office and funded through the Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). LISTOS engages a statewide network of community-based organizations, Tribal Governments, and Community Emergency Response Teams across the state to provide culturally competent education to prepare all Californians for wildfires, floods, earthquakes, droughts, heatwaves and other disasters. The Institute for Community Health and Wellbeing (Institute) is partnering with Dignity Health Northridge Hospital Medical Center (DH) and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to train the CSUN population in important, life-saving skills. In Fall 2025, eight University 100 (U100) classes (first year students) are participating in these workshops. U100 coordinator Debbi Mercado worked with Dr. Sawyer to organize this project at CSUN, and the U100 faculty members involved: Conchita Battle, Imaya Ramos Rincon, Marina Valadez, Joyce Marie Brusasco, Karla Montenegro Gonzalez, Anjum Padyal, Lindsey Macaraig; and to our faculty affiliate Dr. Nancy Miodrag. The grant period is August 2024 through December 2025. Each participating student will attend three one-hour workshops: Five Step Emergency Preparedness, Stop the Bleed, and Hands Only CPR.
StrengthUnited
The Institute is currently contracted with StrengthUnited (SU) on a grant to train and support community health workers (CHWs). SU received a grant through the Los Angeles Department of Public Health to serve as the Lead Agency for one of the ten community public health teams (CPHT) going door-to-door doing community needs assessments and connecting the most vulnerable communities in Los Angeles to resources.
San Fernando Community Health Center
The Institute has also been working with the San Fernando Community Health Center (SFCHC). Child development screenings are not part of what is required from Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). The SFCHC, one of our local FQHCs, contracted with the Institute to provide an intern to assess children and provide warm referrals for families in need.
Community Public Health Teams-Community Health Workers with Strength United.
Dr. Jodi Brown is our faculty affiliate on this project. In alignment with the Institute for Community Health and Wellbeing’s (ICHWB) aim, to match community needs with faculty expertise we are currently contracted with Strength United (SU) on a grant to train and support community health workers (CHWs). SU received a grant through the Los Angeles Department of Public Health to serve as the Lead Agency for one of the ten community public health teams (CPHT) going door-to-door doing community needs assessments and connecting the most vulnerable communities in Los Angeles to resources. Dr. Jodi Brown from the Social Work Department, in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, has been fundamental to this project as she supports CHWs to conduct home visits in Service Planning Area (SPA) 2. Community members are invited to participate in in-person household assessments with a Community Health Worker. After the assessment, the CHW offers to connect the community member with services. With the support of Dr. Brown, CHWs are learning best practices for connecting with community members who reside in surrounding, low-income and immigrant communities.