A total of 3 pilot research awards of $50,000 each will be awarded to early investigators.
Pilot Award - Year 1
Title: Health Advocacy via Tobacco Cessation Education
Dr. Maria Garnica Albor (Assistant Professor of Medicine) was awarded the first TCPRC Pilot Award to leverage a Graduate Medical Education requirement for addiction training and integrate brief 2-hour tobacco treatment and advocacy training into the UC Davis Internal Medicine resident curriculum.
Pilot Award - Year 2
Title: Developing Tobacco Treatment Support with Community Health Workers Using a Care Navigation Platform
Dr. Cindy Valencia (Postdoctoral researcher) was awarded the second TCPRC Pilot Award to integrate tobacco treatment into Pear Suite's digital care navigation portal for Community Health Workers/Promotoras. The project is in partnership with CalViva Health, a Medi-Cal managed care plan, and community-based organizations in the Central Valley service area (Fresno/Madera/Kings). A new tobacco cessation workflow tool will be embedded into the Pear Suite care navigation platform allowing CHWs to refer tobacco users to the state quitline, Kick It California (KIC) for service.
Pilot Award - Year 3
Title: Resident-Identified Barriers and Facilitators to Tobacco Cessation in Tiny Home Communities: A Feasibility Study
Drs. Holly Kirkland-Kyhn and Shamika Brooks were recipients of TCPRC's final pilot award. Their project will assess the feasibility and acceptability of a brief tobacco cessation intake and referral workflow embedded within routine mobile clinic visits. They will also identify resident-perceived barriers and facilitators to achieving tobacco cessation in tiny home community settings.
