Partnerships

Purpose

Partners help NIOSH achieve its mission of turning new information into effective practices organizations can use in the workplace.

NIOSH partners represent:

• Labor
• Industry
• Academia
• Government agencies
• Nongovernmental organizations
• Professional organizations

These partnerships help to identify research priorities, implement interventions, collaborate on research, and translate scientific knowledge.

Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health

The comprehensive nature of Total Worker Health approaches requires innovative thinking to design programs and practices that advance worker well-being. To inspire innovation in our field, NIOSH funds ten academic Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health (Centers).

The Centers are hubs for Total Worker Health-related research and practice. They build the scientific evidence base necessary to develop new solutions for complex occupational safety and health problems. These strategies keep workers safe and healthy and help employers build and retain a productive workforce.

Affiliate Program

The Total Worker Health Affiliate Program's mission is to advance worker well-being through non-funded collaborations with governmental and nonprofit organizations. The program has multiple goals:

1. Increase the visibility, adoption, and impact of Total Worker Health approaches through NIOSH assistance to Affiliates
2. Attract and assist new collaborators to enrich and broaden Total Worker Health research and communication activities
3. Collaborate to enrich and broaden Total Worker Health practice and outreach efforts
4. Publicly recognize the contributions of the Affiliate organizations to the development of Total Worker Health research and practice

Affiliate activities

There are various examples of collaborative activities conducted between NIOSH and Affiliates:

• Engage in joint research
• Develop Total Worker Health programs and interventions
• Collaborate on seminars, meetings, trainings, and educational events
• Create and disseminate publications and other communication products
• Cross-promote individual and joint activities

Eligibility

Potential Affiliates include any of the following groups engaged in worker safety, health, or well-being-related research, education, or training activities:

• Nonprofit institutions
• Labor organizations
• Federal, state, and local government agencies
• Nonprofit employer organizations
• Nonprofit professional or membership associations

Interested organizations should disclose any existing or potential issues which may appear in conflict with Total Worker Health principles. These include investigations or citations by governmental, environmental, or labor agencies and violations of occupational safety and health regulations or laws.

Becoming an affiliate

• Those interested first discuss shared goals and plan possible joint activities with NIOSH representatives.
• A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) or similar document formalizes the Affiliate arrangement.
• Participation in the program is voluntary. The relationship can be discontinued at any time by NIOSH or the Affiliate.
• Affiliates discuss renewal and continuation of Affiliate status with NIOSH each year.

Please note that organizations awarded Affiliate status are not provided with any funding. There are also no fees associated with Affiliate status.

Get Involved

Beyond formal relationships, the NIOSH Total Worker Health Program welcomes collaborators to help advance worker well-being through various activities. Below are a few examples:

• Develop evidence-based solutions
• Raise visibility of worker safety and health issues
• Reach new audiences to achieve broader uptake of the approach

If you are interested in joint events, outreach activities, or research collaborations to improve worker safety, health, and well-being, contact twh@cdc.gov.