Public Health Research

Wake County: Promoting, Protecting and Improving Community Health
Public Health-based research advances the knowledge base and best practice skills in a consolidated human services agency. It helps to identify needs, barriers and practical solutions to the long term health of Wake County residents. Wake County has longstanding partnerships with academic centers, community organizations and other institutions to research innovations and improvements in medical treatments, public health practice and delivery of human services.

Research Proposal Review Process
WCHS ensures that Wake County staff or customers who choose to participate in approved research proposals are protected. The WCHS Research Review Panel (Panel) evaluates all proposals for using Wake County staff, customers or facilities to carry out research. The multidisciplinary Panel reviews proposals twice per month to ensure that they comply with federal regulations for ethical research.

Proposals must be approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the research facility prior to review by the Panel.

Steps to Submit a Research Proposal for Review

1. Identify and contact a Wake County staff sponsor who works with your target population or is a subject matter expert. The employee will serve as a point of contact and guide you through the initial review, implementation process, and closing of the study should it be approved.
   
   
2. Create a research proposal packet, which includes:
• Research Proposal Cover Letter Questionnaire
• IRB Approval Letter/Email
• IRB application
• Study abstract or summary
• Copies of recruitment materials
• Informed consent forms
• Any other critical material
  
  
3. Email the completed research proposal packet to: denise.kissel@wakegov.com
   
   
4. Participate in a pre-review conference call. The research review panel meets twice monthly to review new submissions.
   
   
5. After the panel has reviewed the proposal, the researcher will receive an email indicating that the study has been approved or declined. If approved, the researcher will work with the staff sponsor to implement the study.
   
   
6. The staff sponsor will notify the Panel when the research has been completed.

Questions? Reach out to Denise Kissel by phone (919-212-7083) or email (denise.kissel@wakegov.com).