California State University, San Bernardino has received two separate federal grants, one to support research on aging populations and the second to expand a student success program.

Yawen Li, a professor of social work, was awarded a four-year, $588,000 research grant from the National Institutes of Health for her project, “Measuring Dynamic Capability of Adult Day Health Services in the U.S. The study will develop a structured assessment tool to evaluate how adult day service providers adapt to shifting demographics, technology and policies.

The project addresses gaps in current research by examining how population trends and organizational factors affect providers’ ability to serve older adults.

The research team, led by Li, includes Kenneth Shultz (psychology) as co-investigator and two research consultants: Jay Chok, an expert in business strategy, and Keith Anderson, an expert in adult day care services research.

Graduate and undergraduate students from various disciplines at CSUSB will also play an integral role. Under Li’s leadership, the team will train the next generation of researchers in health services research by engaging them in each stage of the project. Students will learn how to conduct and analyze in-depth interviews with adult day services providers, facilitate and synthesize findings from Delphi panels with diverse stakeholders, and design, implement and interpret a national survey of 4,000 providers in collaboration with the National Adult Day Services Association.

The findings are expected to generate the first theoretically driven and psychometrically sound measurement instrument for assessing the dynamic capabilities of adult day services providers. This tool will help generate valid and reliable data to guide evidence-based recommendations to strengthen organizational capacity and enhance responsiveness to the needs of a changing older population

In addition, Kristen Stutz, director of CSUSB’s Student Assistance in Learning (SAIL) Program, secured a four-year TRIO-Student Support Services grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The award provides $462,541 annually, or $2.3 million over the grant period, to expand academic advising, financial aid guidance, and career preparation for low-income and first-generation students, as well as students with disabilities.

“By leveraging strong advising relationships and comprehensive services — such as our SAIL Compass goal-setting and milestone model and the first-year experience program — we aim to help students thrive, persist, graduate and confidently pursue careers or graduate studies that align with their goals,” Stutz said.

SAIL has served nearly 7,000 students at Cal State San Bernardino since 1981. Administered by the U.S. Department of Education, the federal TRIO programs began with the passage of the Educational Opportunity Act of 1964. TRIO programs such as SAIL aim to increase the college retention and graduation rates of targeted students at the undergraduate level through intensive and personalized academic support and advising services.