October 7, 2025
From GCfH to CPPAH: A New Name, Same Purpose. Cohort 8 Now Open!
Submitted by Stephanie Gutierrez
Greetings,
We are excited to share that the Grand Challenge for Health (GCfH) initiative is becoming the Community Partnerships, Places, and Actions for Health (CPPAH) initiative. This change is in name only; the purpose and structure of the initiative remain the same.
For those new to the initiative, GCfH began in 2022 as a partnership among K-State Research and Extension (KSRE), SNAP-Ed, and University of Minnesota Extension to provide agents with comprehensive training in policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change work.
Under the new name, the eighth cohort is opening, and participation is warmly encouraged. The experience is a 5-week online course that uses the Systems Approaches for Healthy Communities (SAHC) curriculum to guide learning. This course has been licensed from University of Minnesota Extension for several years. This year, they will also join group conversations to support learning, hear how Kansas teams are using the course, and gain insight into future improvements.
Participants will work through the five-module SAHC course at their own pace, with three touchpoints for coaching and connection. These conversations offer space to reflect, share ideas, and learn alongside others. Coaching will be led by Elaine Johannes and Stephanie Gutierrez, with our Minnesota partners joining as guests.
The course will run January 27 to March 3, 2026. A detailed schedule will be shared closer to the start date. For now, the coaching outline is:
Week 2: Modules 1 and 2 — 1 hour: virtual
Week 4: Modules 3 and 4 — 1 hour: virtual
Week 5: Module 5 and final debrief — 1 hour: virtual
If this seems like a good fit, please discuss participation with your Extension unit leader and local board. Questions or concerns may be directed to Elaine Johannes or Stephanie Gutierrez.
To reserve a spot in the eighth cohort, send an email to Stephanie Gutierrez (smgutier@ksu.edu) by January 17, 2026.
Thank you for the thoughtful, health-promoting work happening across Kansas communities. We look forward to learning together as Cohort 8 of the Community Partnerships, Places, and Actions for Health (CPPAH) initiative launches!