Implementing SafeCare Kenya to empower community health workers for parents with young children
Official title: Implementing SafeCare Kenya to Reduce Noncommunicable Disease Burden: Building Community Health Workers' Capacity to Support Parents with Young Children
Funded at Pacific University · NIH-11379957 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A program in Kenya trains community health workers to support parents of young children to reduce risk of future health problems like mental health issues and injuries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pacific University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Forest Grove, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $213,107 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD112043-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11379957 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are families with young children in communities served by trained CHWs in Kenya.
✕Less likely to help
Families outside the CHW-supported network or in settings without adequate resources may see limited or no benefit.
What this research studies
This grant funds a real-world effort in Kenya to build the capacity of community health workers to support families with young children, focusing on preventing childhood adversity and its link to later noncommunicable diseases. The approach uses task-shifting and centralized CHW networks to test scalable, high-quality coaching and support for parenting practices. Researchers will measure how these workforce and program changes affect child well-being and early life risk factors, with data-led feedback to improve implementation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could reduce childhood maltreatment and NCD risk by strengthening parenting skills and CHW support networks.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in similar programs shows promise for improving parenting practices and child health when CHWs are properly trained and supported.
Where this research is happening
-
Pacific University
Forest Grove, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shanley, Jenelle R — Pacific University
- Study coordinator: Shanley, Jenelle R
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.