Wednesday, April 2, 2025
4/2/2025
New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey - The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) Office of Population Health proposes to implement the BRFSS protocol in New Jersey from August 1, 2024, to July 31, 2029. Locally, the BRFSS project has been branded as the New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (NJBRFS). The goal of the project will be to collect high-quality data on chronic disease prevalence, health risk behaviors and use of preventive health services in the general public with a special focus upon the underrepresented communities of Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic of any race as well residents of rural areas. During the grant period, the applicant proposes to implement a New Jersey customized version of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey tool consisting of Core and Rotating Core modules, state selected optional BRFSS modules and locally developed state-added questions on an annual basis, January - December. The applicant proposes to conduct a stratified sample with sampling quotas that will ensure that each of New Jersey’s 21 counties will achieve a minimum sample size of 500 completed interviews at least every two years. With the assistance of supplemental funding from non-BRFSS sources the NJDOH will be able to collect a total of 8,000 completed interviews per year, thus permitting oversampling in more densely populated regions of the state. A competitively obtained contractor, ICF Macro, Inc. will administer the telephone/cell survey. The project will implement a sampling strategy that will draw 90% of respondents from cell phone users and 10% from landline users. To ensure the quality and usability of the data, all data will be collected and maintained in adherence to the national BRFSS protocol. The collected data will be of sufficient quantity and quality to permit statistical weighting by the CDC, making it eligible for inclusion in annual national BRFSS reports. Locally, the data will be analyzed promptly upon receipt of the annual cleaned data file from the CDC. Data will be used to monitor the NJDOH 2030 Healthy New Jersey objectives. Electronic access to the data will be granted via the NJDOH data dashboard, NJSHAD (https://www-doh.state.nj.us/doh-shad/). To ensure the representativeness of previously underrepresented populations, the NJBRFS project will maintain/develop collaborative relationships with internal and external advisory groups, especially those formed to address health inequity. To broaden the reach of the survey and its data, NJ proposes to develop an outreach campaign, which will entail developing flyers, brochures and posters which will be distributed/displayed at community-based facilities. The NJBRFS Team will work with the Office of Communications to develop a social marketing campaign using Facebook, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn. The NJBRFS Team will conduct outreach to health-related community-based groups that provide services to underrepresented populations. The collected data is a necessary and effective resource for developing health policies and program planning at the local, state and national levels and is a key tool for addressing health inequities. The applicant’s ability to collect, analyze and tract use of the NJBRFS data, mount an effective marketing campaign and successfully engage community partners will be monitored and reported to the CDC during conference calls with the CDC assigned project officer and formally through submission of an annual progress report. Trends in the prevalence of disease, risk behaviors and health disparities will be monitored throughout the life cycle of the grant and a final evaluation prepared at the end of the funding opportunity.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).