Component 3: ADRD Public Health Adoption Accelerator - NORC at the University of Chicago, in partnership with Burness, the Alzheimer’s Association, USAging, and the National Rural Health Association (NRHA), will establish and operate a national ADRD Public Health Adoption Accelerator to increase the use, implementation, and sustained integration of evidence-informed strategies addressing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Despite a strong and growing evidence base, the uptake of effective ADRD strategies across public health systems remains uneven and fragmented. This project addresses that gap through a coordinated approach to identifying high-impact strategies, supporting their adoption, and accelerating their spread across state, Tribal, local and territorial (STLT) public health agencies and nationwide. The project focuses on STLT public health agencies and the broader network of organizations that support public health implementation, as they are well equipped to support the uptake of ADRD strategies through existing infrastructure and partnerships. Activities will be conducted nationwide, reaching all U.S. states, territories, Tribal health systems, and local health departments, with attention to variability in capacity, resources, and readiness across jurisdictions. The project includes three integrated strategies. First, NORC and their partners will apply dissemination and implementation science approaches to systematically identify, assess, and prioritize ADRD strategies with strong potential for population-level impact. This includes conducting environmental scans, evaluating implementation readiness, and developing tailored plans to support dissemination and adoption. Second, NORC and their partners will build capacity among recipients and partners by delivering training and technical assistance (TTA). Activities will include establishing a virtual technical assistance center, led by USAging, developing practical tools, and delivering tailored support designed to help organizations translate ADRD evidence into practice and implement strategies effectively in a range of settings. Third, NORC and Burness will implement a coordinated communications and marketing strategy to increase awareness, reach, and uptake of prioritized ADRD tools and resources. This includes developing audience-tailored messaging, disseminating materials through trusted national networks, and using multiple channels to ensure strategies are accessible and actionable for public health practitioners. Partners USAging, Alzheimer’s Association, and NRHA will support broad dissemination at the national and STLT levels. Evaluation and performance measurement are embedded across all activities. Using a mixed-methods approach informed by implementation science frameworks, the project will monitor reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of strategies over time. Data sources will include program records, digital analytics, partner-reported information, and targeted qualitative input. Findings will be used to continuously refine activities and improve impact. Expected outcomes include: (1) increased national adoption of prioritized, evidence-informed ADRD strategies through a systematic process for identifying, assessing, and implementing high-impact practices; (2) increased sharing and implementation of these strategies nationwide over time; (3) strengthened capacity among Component 1 and 2 recipients, leading to increased adoption, spread, and use of evidence-informed tools and resources across state, Tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) public health systems; and (4) increased national sharing, reach, use, and integration of prioritized tools and resources through coordinated communications and marketing efforts. Ultimately, the project will accelerate the translation of evidence into practice, contributing to improved public health approaches to addressing ADRD nationwide.
