Signature Initiatives

Signature Initiatives

The CCEDIR’s signature initiatives bring our mission to life through community-driven, equity-centered programs that connect research, implementation, and real-world action. Each initiative reflects the power of authentic partnership—where community priorities shape design, implementation, and outcomes. Through GOAL, Hoosier Health Check, and Immersive Community–Academic Partnerships (ICAP), CCEDIR collaborates with organizations across Indiana to strengthen health, expand opportunities, and build sustainable solutions that honor local strengths, lived experience, and shared purpose.

Get Onboard Active Living

GOAL is a family-focused physical activity and nutrition initiative delivered in partnership with schools, parks and recreation departments, health systems, and community organizations. It supports children and caregivers in building healthy, active lifestyles through after-school programming, Family Nights, and community-based activities.   

Learn More Here!

Hoosier Health Check

About

Hoosier Health Check (HHC) is a collaborative mobile screening initiative that brings preventive health services—including blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose checks, nutrition assessments (e.g., Veggie Meter), and grip strength—to trusted community spaces across Indiana. The initiative fosters supportive, strengths-based conversations around health and connects individuals to local resources. 

HHC delivers recurring, community-embedded health screening events across three rural Indiana counties (Greene, Scott, Brown), partnering with local organizations to bring preventive services directly into community settings. Community partners help shape the structure, setting, and outreach to ensure screenings are welcoming, empowering, and culturally responsive. The program strengthens access to care and advances early detection in areas with limited health infrastructure, and contributes to ongoing research on scalable, community-based prevention models.

In addition to the community-embedded model, Hoosier Health Check can be integrated into existing events, such as health fairs and other community gatherings.

Community-Embedded HHC Events
Learn more about the community-embedded Hoosier Health Check events.

HHC partners with the Greene County Mobile Food Pantry to offer monthly screenings alongside its drive-thru distribution in Linton, Indiana on the second Monday of each month, reaching more than 160 individuals at each event.

In Scott County, Hoosier Health Check partners with the Coalition to Eliminate the Abuse of Substances (CEASe) to offer monthly screenings on the third Thursday. Connected through the Center for Rural Engagement, CEASe and HHC work together to expand access to preventive services and strengthen pathways to care.

Coming Summer 2026

Interested in bringing Hoosier Health Check to your community or event? Contact us to learn more about partnership opportunities.

Contact HHC

Immersive Community–Academic Partnerships (ICAP)

ICAP (Immersive Community–Academic Partnerships) is a community-requested, community-driven model where CCEDIR faculty, staff, and students become embedded partners within local organizations to co-explore opportunities across research, teaching, service, program development, and capacity-building. ICAP sites emerge only at the invitation of community organizations and follow priorities defined by the community itself. 

ICAP creates a shared space where communities and academic partners imagine, develop, and strengthen collaborative ideas that respond directly to local needs while providing rich experiential learning for students.

Working collaboratively to support youth, family, and community health initiatives, including GOAL and other community-engaged projects.

"Working with CCEDIR through our Immersive Community Academic Partnership (ICAP) has allowed the City of Bloomington, Parks and Recreation, to be a leader in providing community-based health and wellness programming. The City of Bloomington, Parks and Recreation looks forward to future opportunities with CCEDIR as we move forward in making Bloomington the best place to explore, play, and connect!"- Shelby Drake

Share Your Project!

Have a project you'd like to highlight across CCEDIR's community? Tell us more about it at the form below or email: ccedir@iu.edu

Contact Form