MCH Adolescent and Young Adult Health Research Network (AYAH-RN)

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the MCH Adolescent and Young Adult Health Research Network (AYAH-RN). The purpose of this program is to grow and extend a national, multi-site, collaborative Research Network that will accelerate the translation of research into Maternal and Child Health (MCH) AYA practice; promote scientific collaboration; and develop additional research capacity in the AYA health field (serving adolescents and young adults ages 10–25). The Research Network will provide support for the establishment and maintenance of critical infrastructure necessary for efficient leadership, coordination, and translation of research on emergent and persistent public health challenges, including poorer outcomes among underserved and disadvantaged AYA populations. The AYAH-RN will: • Grow and extend a national, multi-site, collaborative Research Network that will accelerate the translation of research into MCH AYA practice; • Improve access to, use of, and quality of AYA preventive health care, including well-visits and the integration of mental, emotional, and behavioral health into primary care and/or school-based settings; • Address current trends among AYA and their implications for health care services delivery regarding topics such as: alignment with a changing health care system, technological advances, the changing face of substance use, demographic trends in the racial and ethnic composition of AYA populations, and the long-term impacts of COVID-19, including vaccine hesitancy and the mental, emotional, and behavioral health of AYA populations; • Develop innovative, empirically sound strategies for increasing equity in health and safety outcomes for AYA focusing on underserved populations;1 • Coordinate a plan to enhance the research training and mentorship of diverse emerging MCH investigators through the use of innovative mentorship/research experiences and manuscript development; Improve health outcomes in the transition from adolescence to young adulthood; and • Accelerate the dissemination and translation into practice of new and emerging research findings relating to AYA health from developmental neuroscience and other relevant fields, such as the science of puberty, prevention, and mental, emotional, and behavioral health.