Community Engagement Core

Texas Southern University, Houston TX

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Community Engagement Core (CEC) Texas Southern University (TSU) has a long history of community trust and thus unparalleled ability to implement innovative community engagement/outreach efforts to address health-related concerns through established partnerships and collaborations with healthcare systems, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and community-based organizations (CBOs). TSU is located in the Greater Houston Community (GHC) which consists of 10 Texas counties, consisting largely of local/rural community members. Several chronic diseases disproportionately affect the GHC, but unfortunately, lay community is less seen in clinical research that could lead to the approval of novel life-saving therapies. Since its inception in 2020, the Community Engagement Core (CEC) of TSU’s Center for Biomedical and Health Research (CBMHR), alongside our network of trusted partners (FBOs, CBOs, FQHCs, and Elected Officials) have made significant strides (e.g. ~60 health education and outreach events, ~20 focus groups and community engagement studios, ~30 free continuing education sessions for >1,000 community health workers [CHWs], delivery of resources and collaborative clinical services to ~ 4,500 primarily lay community attendees at our events) in addressing this critical unmet need. Importantly, CEC has enhanced clinical research awareness through our annual clinical research and engagement conference with > 1,000 attendees over the past 4 years and are now positioned to promote and increase clinical research participation and retention through our recently-funded TSU Center for Clinical Research and Translational Sciences (TSU CCRTS). As TSU CBMHR moves into the future, CEC will continue to work with trusted partners to develop and implement high impact programs for advancing health outcomes in the GHC. Specifically, CEC will on a continuous basis, identify/ address health-related concerns of GHC, host monthly health education/outreach events, and host an annual clinical research and engagement conference. As a multi-pronged approach that impacts all stakeholders, CEC will deploy a specialized clinical research certification program for CHWs to build additional grass roots level trust and promote clinical research participation. CEC will establish a clinical research registry, enroll participants, and create a clinical research hub to guide lay community to TSU CCRTS and regional programs to promote clinical research access and participation. Finally, CEC will develop and deploy cultural competence training for researchers and creatively enhance dissemination of research findings to the scientific and non-scientific communities. The goals of CEC align with the mission, vision, and values of TSU with regards to collaboration, partnership, community and engagement. Overall, we are convinced that the CEC will be very impactful in bridging the health care gaps for GHC, thus furthering the mission of NIMHD.