Community Engagement Core

ABSTRACT The NYCenter for Advancing Translational Research and Health (NYCenter) Community Engagement Core (CEC) plays a crucial role in addressing health disparities within the landscape of New York City, with an expanded focus on health for all. Guided by community-based participatory research (CBPR) principles, the CEC collaborates seamlessly with a spectrum of stakeholders, including researchers, clinicians, and community organizations, to actively contribute to expanding health.The Specific Aims of the Core are: Specific Aim 1: The NYCenter CEC will be a trusted resource for NYC communities to address their unique health challenges. By engaging new communities, fostering reciprocal relationships, and providing mechanisms for communities to independently address health issues, the CEC actively supports and advances the broader goals of the NYCenter. This approach ensures that the collaborative efforts go beyond the grant period, creating sustainable solutions and addressing health challenges communities face. Specific Aim 2: The NYCenter CEC will train and equip biomedical researchers to conduct Health Disparities Research (HDR), emphasizing community engagement. Through a comprehensive seminar series, the CEC equips scientists, particularly NYCenter investigators, with the tools necessary to enhance community participation and effectively address health disparities. The CEC's strategy includes simultaneous training for community members and researchers and building strong relationships extending from hypothesis generation to dissemination. By integrating community perspectives throughout the research process, the CEC mentors and investigators enhance their Community-Engaged Research (CEnR) skills across disciplines. Specific Aim 3: The NYCenter CEC will contribute to the generation of new knowledge in the science of Community Engaged Health Disparities Research (CEnHDR). The CEC actively facilitates CEnHDR initiatives, collects data on engagement processes and outcomes, and refines methods to understand its impact on research, researchers, and the communities they serve.