The Community Engagement Core of SDSU HealthLINK Center for Transdisciplinary Health Disparities Research

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CORE – Project Summary Established in 2018, the SDSU HealthLINK Center strives to enhance investigator, partner, and institutional capacity to conduct community engaged minority health and health disparities (MHHD) research. Health disparities in the US are significantly more persistent and pronounced among individuals from historically marginalized groups, including Latinos, LGBTQ+, individuals of low socio-economic status, individuals living in rural communities, youth, immigrants, and refugees. Many of these groups are represented in our California- Mexico border communities in San Diego and Imperial Counties. Community-academic partnerships are well suited for conducting research focused on understanding and mitigating such disparities, as the resulting collaborations often lead to real-world changes that are significantly greater in magnitude and reach. Thus, the objective of the Community Engagement Core (CEC) is to cultivate trusting, meaningful, impactful, and sustainable community-academic research partnerships by expanding the capacity and readiness of community partner organizations and SDSU and SDSUIV investigators to conduct community engaged MHHD research. We propose the following three specific aims that align with goals of the RCMI specialized centers: 1) build and expand the capacity and readiness of community partner organizations and SDSU and SDSUIV investigators to conduct community engaged MHHD research; 2) promote cross-collaborations with Center Cores and community partner organizations to leverage expertise and promote knowledge transfer; and 3) support dissemination efforts to inform policies and evidence-based practices to address the knowledge-to- practice gap. To accomplish Aim 1, CEC will partner with four organizations, three located in urban San Diego County (Family Health Centers of San Diego, County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Casa Familiar) and one located in rural Imperial County (Innercare). CEC and Center will be supported by the Center’s Community Coalition, an established 2-county, 6-sector, 12-member community partner organization network that engages key organizational leaders. The Community Coalition facilitates direct linkages between Center members and partners and informs our research priorities and innovative approaches. To accomplish Aim 2, we will promote cross-collaborations with Center Cores and community partner organizations by supporting capacity building of Pilot Project Leaders through the Grant Writing Workshops and Research Management Training Program, and of community partner organizations through planned career enhancement workshops and co-development of research trainings. To accomplish Aim 3, CEC will lead dissemination efforts to support the translation of findings and lessons learned into evidence-based practices and organizational policies through multiple channels and to a broad range of audiences. CEC proposes a responsive approach for building the capacity of community partner organizations, and SDSU and SDSUIV investigators, to conduct innovative and impactful transdisciplinary and community engaged MHHD research.