Coalitions Linking Action & Science for Prevention (CLASP)

Multi-year plan targets preventable cancer and chronic diseases

Coalitions Linking Action and Science for Prevention, or CLASP, is an initiative of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. With the ultimate goal of improving the health of individuals and populations, CLASP reaches beyond the cancer community by supporting coalitions of organizations that cross provincial and territorial boundaries to integrate cancer prevention with other chronic disease prevention strategies.

The development of CLASP has been a collaborative effort involving consultation with researchers, practitioners and policy specialists working in cancer and chronic disease prevention across Canada. This approach ensures that the Partnership’s investment in cancer and chronic disease prevention is guided by the needs from the field and links the lessons learned from science (knowledge to action) with the lessons learned from practice and policy (action to knowledge) -- building upon what is already being planned and put in place for primary and secondary prevention.

Progress underway

• • Environmental scans have been completed to identify existing primary prevention activities in Canada, so that what’s happening in the field can be better understood.
• • Consultations across the country have explored new ways to create partnerships that will help to integrate chronic disease prevention.
• • Following an open call for proposals, a total of $15.5 million, including funding support from the Public Health Agency of Canada and Heart and Stroke Foundation, was awarded to seven coalitions.
• • To provide continued momentum, the Partnership is hosting regular knowledge exchange meetings that bring funded coalitions to work together on cross-CLASP issues including evaluation, knowledge exchange, and sustainability.

Outcomes

This new program embodies an integrated, comprehensive approach to cancer and chronic disease prevention. Fostering collaborations among coalitions of researchers, practitioners, and policy specialists already involved in the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases will help to broaden the reach and deepen the impact of these existing prevention efforts at municipal, regional, provincial/territorial, and national levels.