Institute for Faith Health Research--Dallas

Late in 2003, Central Dallas Ministries formed a subsidiary organization, the Institute for Faith Health Research--Dallas.

The goal was to provide a platform for serious research around the issues of health and faith/spirituality. Our own research was telling us that community health outcomes can be affected by the dynamics of faith individually and collectively.

We also were learning the social capital provides increased power, choice and autonomy to communities. We were eager to see the impact of the creation of social capital measured so that empirical evidence would be accumulated for use in our basic work of community development.

The mission of the Institute is clear to us: Working with Community and Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), the Institute exists to study and develop replicable models of community health improvement; alleviate and prevent unnecessary suffering; and promote community wellness both nationally and internationally.

We divide the focal work of the Institute into three areas or "pillars."

Community Education: To teach theoretical and practical fundamentals in faith-health collaboration to community leaders and students.

Community Research: To study and disseminate information on faith-health collaborations and their contribution to community health improvement.

Community Advocacy: To promote public policy development that encourages individuals, institutions and communities desiring to enter into collaborative relationships to impact community health.

This part of our work has been flying under the radar to this point. But we have attracted the attention and the commitment of several academic partners and we have significant research projects underway.

Please take the time to visit our website at http://ifhrd.org.

While you are there notice our partners and current research projects (http://www.ifhrd.org/currentresearch.aspx).