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PRC History

2016 PRC celebrates 30 years of building healthier communities.
2015 CDC funds 11 Special Interest Project (SIP) awards to PRCs to design, test, and disseminate effective applied public health prevention research strategies.
2014

CDC funds 26 new centers for a 5-year period.

CDC funds 56 SIP awards to 21 PRCs to design, test, and disseminate effective applied public health prevention research strategies.

PRCs collaborates to add two thematic networks, Global and Territorial Health Research Network and Workplace Health Research Network to the existing five thematic networks.

2011 CDC gives the 2011 Charles C. Shepard Science Award to a scientific paper about the Breastfeeding, Antivirals, and Nutrition (BAN) study. This study was a special interest project awarded to the PRC at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
2010

PRC Program co-sponsors the 20th National Conference on Chronic Disease Prevention and Control.

The PRC Program conducts joint 2010 conference with Society for Public Health Education.

Four PRCs are funded through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to conduct Comparative Effectiveness Research. These 2-year projects compare the benefits and harms of different public health strategies to prevent, diagnose, and monitor health conditions in community settings.

2009

CDC funds 37 PRCs for the 2010–2014 research period, 5 developmental and 32 comprehensive.

Centers collaborate on new thematic network Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network.

2008 A CDC-convened Blue Ribbon Panel of external experts release a report assessing the PRC Program.
2007 PRCs collaborate on new thematic network, Managing Epilepsy Well Network.
2006 Saint Louis PRC collaborates with the National Community Committee on a training project that helps community members understand the concepts, language, and processes used in public health research.
2005 Centers collaborate to form the former thematic network, Cardiovascular Health Network.
2004

CDC acknowledges 20 years of PRCs’ achievements.

CDC completes a competitive peer review of applications for PRCs and announces the 2004–2009 research period for 33 centers. Together, the 33 centers conduct nearly 500 applied research projects to address topics such as diabetes, aging, and cancer control.

The PRCs collaborate on new thematic network, Physical Activity Policy Research Network.

2003

The PRC Program adopts a framework or logic model for conceptualizing the research process at the national level.

National Community Committee holds its first yearly retreat in Houston, Texas.

2002

The National Community Committee is created and holds its first official meeting to allow discussions among 40 community members. The NCC promotes equality in researcher-community relations across the network, and helped community representatives share resources, knowledge, and skills.

Centers collaborate to form a new thematic networks, Cancer Prevention & Control Research Network and Healthy Aging Research Network (HAN), currently known as the Healthy Brain Research Network.

Two additional centers are selected to expand the network’s research capacity in both urban and rural health issues and brought the total number of centers to 28.

2001

The 2-year PRC Fellowship Program sponsored by CDC and the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) is established for doctoral-level students of minority racial or ethnic origin. (no longer an active program)

Two additional centers enhance the program’s research depth and breadth and brought the total number of centers to 26.

The PRC Program co-sponsors CDC’s Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Conference.

2000 The University of Kentucky is added to reduce the disproportionate burden of cancer in central Appalachia and brought the number of centers to 24.
1990s

PRCs collaborate to form five thematic networks. Thematic networks are a type of special interest project that fund several PRCs to work together on a specific health issue.

  1. Tobacco Prevention and Control
  2. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
  3. School Health
  4. Women’s Cardiovascular Health
  5. Oral Health

Networking concept continued for new themes; those above became inactive over time.

1998 Congress reauthorizes the PRC Program. Nine centers are added to expand regional scope and broaden research themes and brought the total number of centers to 23.
1997 The Institute of Medicine establishes a 10-member committee and develops a review of the program, noting achievements and proposing an agenda for the next 10 years.
1996 The University of Minnesota is added to address the national health concern about teenage pregnancy.
1995 The National Institutes of Health selects the PRC Program for the community component of the Women’s Health Initiative.
1994 Four additional centers bring prevention research to tribal governments, Appalachia, and the Ozarks and brought the total number of centers to 13.
1993

The PRC Program expands from three PRCs to nine research centers.

A supplemental funding mechanism is introduced for Special Interest Projects (SIPs) sponsored by CDC’s centers, institutes, and offices.

1990 The University of Illinois, Chicago and Columbia University are added.
1987 PRC faculty and staff develops the first Community Health Worker program in the state of Arizona, Un Comienzo Sano (A Healthy Start). The program was developed in collaboration with the local community health center in Somerton and implemented by students from the UA medical school, the AZ Area Health Education Center (AHEC), and local providers.
1986

PRC Program takes shape as the first three research centers are funded.

1984 Congress authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services  to select academic health centers to conduct community-based public health research. CDC is identified as the administrator of PRC Program.
1981 Public health leaders propose a network for applied public health research.
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