19-02-2025
Missouri State University receives over half a million grant for its public health institute
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Missouri State University's Ozarks Public Health Institute (OPHI) announced that it was awarded a $549,228 grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health.
The grant money will go towards OPHI's Springfield Community Focus Report, a publication started in 2004 that highlights Springfield's strengths and challenges.
Missouri State says OPHI is looking to expand into a full-time program focusing on priority issues in Springfield and research and practice-based projects for university students, faculty and staff.
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'The Community Focus Report has been an essential tool for community betterment,' said Brad Bodenhausen, VP of community and global partnerships. 'OPHI's involvement will provide support to community partners as we work together toward improvements. This type of community-engaged research is an important part of Missouri's State public affairs mission.'
The grant from the Missouri Foundation of Health will support the first three years of community focus work.
'Public health is what we do together as a society to ensure the conditions in which everyone can be healthy,' said OPHI Director Dr. Dalen Duitsman. 'Our goal is to provide a wealth of research and engagement opportunities for students, university staff and faculty as we work strategically across all sectors to ensure health and safety, improve quality of life and offer every person in the Springfield region the opportunity to thrive.'
Missouri State hopes that this community focus project will lead to similar projects being implemented in other Missouri jurisdictions.
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