É«ÏãÊÓƵPublic Health faculty receives $100,000 grant from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Grant will support Gail Dana-Sacco, PhD, MPH
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the nation’s leading philanthropy on health and health care, has awarded the University of New England’s Gail Dana-Sacco, Assistant Professor of Public Health and Executive Director of the Maine AHEC Network, a 24-month grant through the New Connections and Public Health Law Research national programs.
Dana-Sacco is among a select group of Junior Investigators to receive one of the 24-month grants from Public Health Law Research and New Connections.
The grant will enable Dana-Sacco to conduct research on how Passamaquoddy tribal heath disparities are addressed through legislation in Maine with particular attention to the roles of the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission and the tribal representative to the Maine State legislature. Recommendations for improving the quality of the tribal-state relationship and positively impacting tribal health through the policymaking process will be offered. This research can inform policymaking processes in other jurisdictions in order to more effectively address persistent tribal health disparities.
New Connections is a national program designed to introduce new scholars to RWJF and expand the diversity of perspectives that inform the Foundation’s programming. New Connections seeks early to mid-career scholars who are historically underrepresented ethnic or racial minorities, first-generation college graduates, or individuals from low-income communities. Public Health Law Research is a national program that aims to build the evidence for and increase the use of effective regulatory, legal and policy solutions—whether statutes, regulations, case law or other policies—to protect and improve population health and the public health system.
‚ÄúWe are thrilled to welcome Gail-Dana Sacco to a program that reflects the Foundation‚Äôs commitment to increasing the diversity in our grant making and in the broader fields of health research,‚Äù says Debra Pérez, PhD, MPA, MA Assistant Vice-President for Research and Evaluation at RWJF.
‚ÄúMore than a grant opportunity, New Connections serves as a lifelong professional network for diverse researchers and evaluators,‚Äù says Pérez.
“I am extremely proud to be among the junior investigators honored with this prestigious grant," says Dana-Sacco. "This award will connect me with a network of established experts in research and evaluation related to health and health care, while providing me with an opportunity to conduct public health law research in an area that has far-reaching implications for effectively addressing tribal health disparities through policy and improving tribal-state relations."
More information about New Connections is available at
About University of New England
The É«ÏãÊÓƵis an innovative health sciences university grounded in the liberal arts, with two distinctive coastal Maine campuses and unique study abroad opportunities. É«ÏãÊÓƵ has internationally recognized scholars in the sciences, health, medicine and humanities; offers more than 40 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs; and is home to Maine’s only medical school. It is one of a handful of private universities with a comprehensive health education mission including medicine, pharmacy, dental medicine, nursing and an array of allied health professions. É«ÏãÊÓƵ's interprofessional education initiatives prepare future healthcare professionals to practice comprehensive and collaborative team-based care. Both graduate and undergraduate students engage in research and scholarship alongside dedicated faculty who are committed to their academic and professional success.
About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, RWJF works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For 40 years, the Foundation has brought experience, commitment and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those we serve. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, RWJF expects to make a difference in your lifetime.