# Introduction
The Unified Research data Sharing and Access (URSA) Initiative was launched in 2015 with the overall goal of ***making electronic health record (EHR) and other health data accessible and usable for research purposes across Rhode Island***. This initiative is supported by Advance RI-CTR and coordinated by the Advance RI-CTR Biomedical Informatics, Bioinformatics, and Cyberinfrastructure Enhancement ([BIBCE](https://advancectr.brown.edu/research-services/informatics-implementation-science)) Core with leadership and expertise provided by the Brown Center for Biomedical Informatics ([BCBI](https://bcbi.brown.edu/)).
The Advance RI-CTR BIBCE Core collaborates with Brown University's Office of Information Technology and the Division of Research, including Research Integrity and Research Agreements & Contracting, and health data partners across Rhode Island to:
* Coordinate **processes** for health data sharing and secure access within and across institutions;
* Develop the requisite legal, ethical, and technical **infrastructure** between Brown and health data sharing partners;
* Establish cross-institutional **governance**, including standard policies, procedures, and protocols for appropriate sharing and use of health data; and,
* Provide **documentation** and **training** for health data requests, access, and use.
Through the URSA Initiative, the BIBCE Core provides expertise and infrastructure for conducting research using large-scale health datasets. The BIBCE Core is available to help researchers navigate the process of identifying options and solutions for storing, managing, and analyzing data from health data partners or other data sources.
Complete Advance RI-CTR's [Service Request Form](https://advancectr.brown.edu/schedule-service-consultation) to schedule a consultation with the BIBCE Core.
{% hint style="info" %}
**Visit other chapters in CODIAC for Health using the** [**Table of Contents**](https://docs.bcbi.brown.edu/codiac-for-health/table-of-contents) **or menu in the upper left corner.**
{% endhint %}
---
# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:
```
GET https://docs.bcbi.brown.edu/codiac-for-health/ursa-ri/introduction.md?ask=
```
The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.