Organization’s primary purpose: Its mission is to promote the development of “academic community health centers” that integrate education, research, and service, to influence and change health professions education, improve health care delivery, and promote health systems change.
Contact name: Beverley Russell, Ph.D.
Website: http://www.cchers.org/
List 3 – 5 issues you are working on: health disparities in hypertension, diabetes, asthma, Translating clinical research to practice, Workforce diversity in the health field
Skills/Expertise desired:Knowledge of CBPR,Working with academe & community
Possible project idea(s)
Idea #1 in a nutshell – Study of trends in urban settings (fast food restaurants, few supermarkets offering healthy foods, arenas for exercising, community violence) to increase in obesity, diabetes and hypertension in urban populations.Creating an intervention of 2-3 years in which those elements are reversed in the urban setting.Conducting process and outcome evaluations of any changes in overall health status of that urban population.
Key to success? Multi-sectorial collaboration (political, economic, health, educational system, etc); funding;
Potential barrier? Capitalistic approaches to population health (i.e. seeking financial bottom line rather than maximizing the health of the community and hence increase potential contribution to society); time; lack of funding and other resources;
Idea #2 in a nutshell – Bringing academia and community together, educate the community about research and clinical interventions; then assessing potential health problems of concern to both entities, then collaboratively develop interventions.
Key to success?Equal partnership; equal distribution of funding; ability for community to develop infrastructure for research
Potential barrier? Inequity in decision making and funding distribution; inability to see the strengths of both entities;
Idea #3 in a nutshell – True pipeline collaboration with middle schools, high school, community college and university partners.University commits to reach into middle/high schools to support (academically & financially) students of color to enter health professions; including after school support/mentorship, academic summer camp through to high school.University/college level also providing slots for those mentored students.
Key to success? Genuine and earnest willingness and support for targeted student population;
Potential barrier? Lip service; competing priorities after commitment is made by college/university to financially support students.
