Mark Holmes named as Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Staff Affairs

The Sheps Center is proud to announce that Dr. Mark Holmes has been appointed as the Senior Associate Dean for Faculty and Staff Affairs at the Gillings School of Global Public Health. This esteemed position highlights Dr. Holmes’ exceptional leadership and his commitment to career development. Dr. Holmes has been a pivotal figure at the… Read more »

Sheryl Zimmerman on Animatronic Pets: A Comfort for Aging Adults

In a recent article by The Washington Post, Sheryl Zimmerman, co-director of the Program on Aging, Chronic Illness, and Long-Term Care at the Sheps Center and Professor in the School of Social Work, offered insights into the growing use of animatronic pets to support older adults. These lifelike robotic companions, designed to mimic the behaviors… Read more »

Ty Ridenour Named Specialty Chief Editor for Adolescent Mental Health Interventions

In an exciting development for the Sheps Center’s Child & Adolescent Health Services Program, researcher Ty Ridenour has been appointed as the Specialty Chief Editor for Interventions for Adolescent Mental Health. This role recognizes Ridenour’s significant contributions to the field and his dedication to advancing mental health interventions for adolescents. Ridenour’s appointment is a testament… Read more »

UNC Partners with Emory University and Other Leading Institutions to Launch National Dementia Care Initiative

In a groundbreaking effort to advance dementia care across the United States, researchers from the Sheps Center at UNC-CH have partnered with Emory University, the University of Minnesota, Johns Hopkins University, Brown University, and the Alzheimer’s Association to establish the State Alzheimer’s Research Support (StARS) Center. This initiative, funded by a $17 million grant from… Read more »

Carolina researchers awarded $11M to strengthen physician and dental training programs in underserved areas

The Health Resources and Services Administration funding will expand existing UNC-Chapel Hill initiatives that support the development of residency programs to improve North Carolinians’ access to health care. As part of its strategy to improve access to healthcare, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded a contract to the University of North Carolina… Read more »

Sheryl Zimmerman Appointed to be Core Leader in NEXT STEPs Project

Sheryl Zimmerman, PhD, MSW has been appointed as the leader of the Recruitment and Retention Core and Johanna Hickey, MSW as the Core Coordinator of the NEXT STEPs project, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at increasing the inclusion of nursing home residents in clinical trials. The project, led by research scientists from the Indiana University School… Read more »

Mark Holmes named UNC Lambeth Distinguished Chair in Public Policy

Mark Holmes has been named the UNC Lambeth Distinguished Chair in Public Policy, a role that highlights his expertise and leadership in public health and policy. As the director of the Sheps Center for Health Services Research at UNC, Holmes is recognized for his contributions to health services research, focusing on improving healthcare systems and… Read more »

Trends in Continuation of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Among Adolescents Receiving Medicaid

Dr. Allison Bianca, Child & Adolescent Health researcher at the Sheps Center, has published an article, titled Trends in Continuation of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Among Adolescents Receiving Medicaid, in the Journal of Adolescent Health. This study on long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) use among Medicaid-covered adolescents in North Carolina found that implants were initiated more than… Read more »

Dr. Brianna Lombardi Appointed Co-Director of Health Workforce Research Program

The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research is pleased to announce the appointment of Brianna Lombardi, PhD, MSW as Co-Director of the Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy. This prestigious role recognizes Dr. Lombardi’s significant contributions to the field and underscores her growing influence and impact within North Carolina, nationally, and internationally…. Read more »

Empowering Youth: Nationwide Perspectives on Abortion Knowledge and Access Post-Dobbs

Child & Adolescent Health Services researcher, Dr. Bianca Allison, MD, MPH, recently authored an exciting article titled, “The Perceived Impact of a Post-Dobbs Landscape on U.S. Adolescents and Young Adults” in the Journal, Contraception. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, a nationwide survey conducted through the MyVoice project reveals the nuanced perspectives and knowledge… Read more »

Forecasting Future Supply of Pediatric Subspecialties: Addressing Misalignment with Population Health Needs

The Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy at the Sheps Center partnered with Strategic Modelling and Analysis Ltd. (SMAP) and Dr. Colin Orr from the Department of Pediatrics at UNC-CH to develop a model forecasting the future supply of 14 pediatric sub-specialties. The model, released in January 2024, forecasts pediatric subspecialist supply out to 2040 at the national… Read more »

Paul Lanier speaks to WUNC about NC’s youth mental health

On the morning of April 4, 2024, Paul Lanier, PhD, MSW, Co-Director of Sheps Center’s Program on Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and Systems Research and Professor of Social Work, spoke on WUNC 91.5 FM North Carolina Public Radio. Dr. Lanier was one of two experts who joined “Due South” host Jeff Tiberii for… Read more »