Core C: Community Collaborative Core

The COBRE for Stress, Trauma, and Resilience (STAR) will establish an innovative, interdisciplinary Miriam Hospital research center focused on the biobehavioral mechanisms through which childhood stress, trauma, and adversity impact health outcomes across development. Childhood adversity is a major risk factor for physical and mental health problems across the lifespan, yet those with adverse exposures are often difficult to engage in research. Specialized infrastructure to foster collaboration with community partners and to address the practical, ethical, and clinical issues in research with children and adults with histories of stress, trauma, and adversity is critical for long-term success of the STAR COBRE. The Community Collaborative (CC) Core will support the overall goals of the STAR COBRE by building critical infrastructure to support clinically significant and highly innovative research with children and adults with stress and trauma histories. The CC Core will facilitate relationships with community partners, including convening a community advisory board, and will provide support to enhance existing and build new community partners. The CC Core will also provide resources and support for developing the capacity to successfully recruit and retain populations with stress and trauma histories, while maintaining to standards in ethical conduct of research with children and adults. Finally, the CC Core will provide support to increase competence of COBRE investigators in working with individuals from all communities and backgrounds. The CC Core will be essential to the overall success of the STAR COBRE by providing critical partnerships, expertise, services, and infrastructure to support clinically significant and highly innovative research with children and adults with stress and trauma histories.