Community and Scientific Engagement & Administration Core

Northwestern University At Chicago, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY — COMMUNITY AND SCIENTIFIC ENGAGEMENT & ADMINISTRATIVE CORE The objective of the proposed Mental Health, Earlier (MHE) ALACRITY Research Center is implementation of early childhood mental health promotion in community pediatric care. The Community & Scientific Engagement & Administrative (Engage-Admin) Core will provide critical infrastructure and leadership to advance the Center’s vision and objectives. As the nexus for the Center’s community and scientific engagement, career development, and administrative functions, the Engage-Admin Core will ensure a functional, integrated whole, operationally, scientifically, and strategically. To achieve this, the Core is led by a transdisciplinary team with a history of collaboration and leadership and spanning expertise in implementation science, pediatric population health and early childhood mental health. AIM 1: STEER Center strategic investments, and priorities via: (1a) a Steering Committee comprised of Center investigators, community partners and emerging leaders; and (1b) an External Advisory Board comprised of national scientific experts and health system leaders, policy experts, advocates, and payors with vested interest in pediatric mental health to ensure strategies are relevant, disseminable and leverage emergent policies. AIM 2: SUPPORT centralized management and oversight throughout the Center: (2a) Establish standard operating procedures; (2b) Manage communications/ activities; (2c) Provide fiscal management; and (2d) Ensure regulatory compliance. AIM 3: ENGAGE WITH BROAD REACH: (3a) Foster an inclusive Center environment; (3b) Orchestrate bi-directional community engagement led by the Core’s Community Engagement Workgroup with practice-based and caregiver collectives. This includes facilitation of Center and Project community partnerships; and (3c) Serve as a national resource for implementation of mental health promotion in pediatric primary care. Activities will be led by the Core’s Implementation Workgroup, including web-based Implementation Toolkit and Virtual Learning Community deliverables. AIM 4: SPUR WORKFORCE & CAREER DEVELOPMENT: Establish a Workforce/Career Development Hub to: (4a) Support scientific growth via a minimum of 10 nationally competed R03 pilot studies, mentorship, and fostering emerging leaders; and (4b) Advance excellence in pediatric practice-based mental health implementation research and care. AIM 5: EVALUATE Center progress and impact, via a Results-Based Accountability process. The Engage-Admin Core provides critical support to advance Center objectives to promote positive mental health trajectories and reduce risk of chronic mental disorder via early, evidence-based prevention scalable to population reach throughout the pediatric care continuum. *Foster an inclusive Center environment-this is to ensure that all Center members feel included and supported. Our Center includes scientists from more than a dozen disciplines, individuals from a range of career levels, multiple pediatric health systems and multiple regions. The Center aims to create an environment for all to be energetically engaged in a manner that promotes their research growth and meaningful involvement.