Improving access to recommended obesity care for Medicaid patients at community health centers
Increasing Access to USPSTF-Recommended Obesity Care for Youth and Adults Who Are Recipients of Medicaid: Evaluation of a Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Obesity Care Training Program in FQHCs
This project trains clinic teams to offer recommended behavioral weight-management care to children and adults who have Medicaid.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144535 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you visit a participating community health center, clinic teams (primary care providers, behavioral health providers, dietitians, and community health workers) will be trained together to screen for obesity and deliver or refer to intensive behavioral programs recommended by national guidelines. The program uses policy changes in Medicaid, digital tools, and stronger clinic–community links to make services easier to access and coordinate. Training also addresses systemic barriers like clinician weight bias and aims to streamline referrals so families and adults get continuous support. The goal is to improve weight-related outcomes and reduce access gaps for people in historically marginalized and rural communities.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children and adults enrolled in Medicaid who receive care at participating Federally Qualified Health Centers and who have obesity or are at high risk for weight-related health problems are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not enrolled in Medicaid or who do not receive care at participating community health centers, as well as those needing immediate specialized surgical or high-risk medical treatments beyond behavioral care, may not benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase access to evidence-based obesity care and help Medicaid patients achieve better weight and related health outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Behavioral weight-management programs and multidisciplinary team care have helped patients lose weight in prior research, but this specific comprehensive, policy-leveraged training approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilfley, Denise Ella — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Wilfley, Denise Ella
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 below.