About Us
CINCCH has a long history as a VA Health Systems Research Center, having been continuously funded since 1982 and becoming a COIN in 2014. Our primary location is on the campus of the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital. Additionally, the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago has been an affiliated site for nearly 40 years. We are easily accessible to our partners and university affiliates, Loyola University Chicago, Northwestern University, and University of Illinois at Chicago.
The CINCCH Leadership Team oversees CINCCH’s the scientific and administrative activities. CINCCH has a Center Expert and Shareholder Forum (CESF) comprising key operational partners, academic affiliates, facility leadership, Veterans, and experts from the field. The CESF meets at least annually to provide guidance, direction, and oversight to CINCCH. Additional input comes from our Veteran Engagement Panel. The scientific activities are structured to advance our Impact Goals. To ensure that CINCCH is progressing in our impact goals, there are workgroups for each goal led by center investigators and supported by project managers. Six cores meet regularly to support the activities of CINCCH:
- Quantitative: supports project development and identifies appropriate analytic support for projects (e.g., power calculations, analytic methods)
- Qualitative: provides methodologic expertise for project development and support for qualitative analyses within projects (e.g., coding)
- Project Management: provides project management support and addresses common issues
- Mentoring: oversees and coordinates CINCCH’s mentoring activities
- Scientific Review: oversees internal review process of proposals, including coordination of reviewers, hosting internal review meetings, and provision of feedback to investigators
- Administrative: manages contracts, just in time requirements, grant submissions, and travel, and works with the Leadership Team to develop and manage budgets and review spending plans
