# Evidence-based Policy Impact Center (EPIC) QUERI

> **NIH VA I50** · VA BOSTON HEALTH CARE SYSTEM · 2022 · —

## Abstract

The Evidence-based Policy Impact Center (EPIC) QUERI, consisting of experienced QUERI Program,
Partnered Implementation Initiative, Partnered Evaluation Initiative, Rapid Response Team, and HSR&D COIN
and CORE leaders, is poised to address a number of wide-ranging VA policy and evaluation priorities in
response to the Foundations for Evidence-based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Evidence Act). Our proposal
identifies four priority subject matter areas and two evaluation priorities for immediate attention: 1) suicide
prevention initiatives for Veterans and transitioning servicemembers, and 2) effectiveness and implementation
of programs to eliminate homelessness among Veterans. Since 2019, VA has taken numerous steps to
become a High Reliability Organization (HRO). However, it is not yet clear whether the programs implemented
across the VA to address suicide prevention and homelessness, among other priority areas, include HRO
principles, such as sensitivity to operations, appreciating the complexity of healthcare, looking for opportunities
for improvement, valuing insights from experts, and practicing resilience. Building on Learning Health System
competencies of scientific evidence standards, methods, informatics, improvement and implementation
science, and engagement with leadership, EPIC QUERI has developed robust evaluation plans to immediately
examine national suicide prevention and homelessness initiatives. In addition to strengths in operations,
methods, and knowledge translation, EPIC QUERI brings a unique perspective to the Evidence Act by
creating 1) a workforce development core building on Office of Personnel Management evaluation
competencies, and 2) a diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative with local universities to create a workforce
development pipeline. Our workforce development core will design, deliver, and evaluate a professional
workforce development program that focuses on providing mentored VA, QUERI, QI, and evaluation
experience to master’s level research staff; and recruit, retain, and mentor a range of diverse, master’s-level
staff with on the job evaluation experience with incoming projects for the EPIC QUERI. Guided by the QUERI
Implementation Roadmap and engaging closely with the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
(OMHSP) and the Homeless Programs Office (HPO)/National Center on Homelessness among Veterans
(NCHAV), our proposed evaluations will examine the data to knowledge (pre-implementation), knowledge to
performance (implementation), and performance to data (sustainment) capacity of Public Law 116-171,
Section 201 Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program and the HPO iPad and
iPhone outreach to homeless Veterans during COVID-19. Each evaluation’s specific learning agenda and
evaluation question will be unique; however, our overall specific aims are as follows: Aim 1: Identify pre-
implementation barriers to adopting evidence-based practices (EBPs), policies, and implementation st...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10535390
- **Project number:** 1I50HX003637-01
- **Recipient organization:** VA BOSTON HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
- **Principal Investigator:** Anashua RANI Elwy
- **Activity code:** I50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-04-01 → 2027-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10535390

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10535390, Evidence-based Policy Impact Center (EPIC) QUERI (1I50HX003637-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10535390. Licensed CC0.

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