NIH Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL)

CEAL Co-chair and director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Dr. Gary H. Gibbons, will be awarded the prestigious Builders of Science Award from Research!America: Discovery. Innovation. Health. 👏 Research!America presents its Advocacy Awards annually to recognize individuals and organizations whose leadership efforts have advanced the nation's commitment to medical and health research. This recognition celebrates Dr. Gibbons' groundbreaking contributions to cardiovascular health for the most affected communities and his dedication to community-engaged research. Want to learn more about Dr. Gibbons' work and CEAL's impact? Be sure to read our latest newsletter for updates on our initiatives! https://bit.ly/3COj7cj

The Community Engagement Alliance Consultative Resource (CEACR) advances the CEAL mission by providing research teams with best practices to support their community engagement efforts. CEACR provides tailored support to researchers by tapping into their network of community engagement experts from academic, clinical, and community-based settings. With over 50 consultations under its belt — addressing topics like equitable partner compensation and cultural appropriateness of public-facing study recruitment materials — CEACR offers invaluable guidance to consultees and continues building out its resource library for community organizations and researchers. Discover what CEACR has to offer: https://bit.ly/4fuqPXR CEACR consultations are provided through collaborations with two academic and community partners, The University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute and Community-Campus Partnerships for Health.

As Asian American (AA) and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (NHPI) populations have grown, it has become more and more clear that the AA and NHPI populations are far from a monolith. They differ in socioeconomic status, health status, educational attainment, labor force characteristics, and many other ways. This underscores the need for disaggregated AA and NHPI data — that is, data by individual AA and NHPI populations. In collaboration with AAPI Data, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders released a fact sheet that features disaggregated data for these communities on key indicators like educational attainment, poverty, and housing. Download the fact sheet and learn more about the importance of data disaggregation: https://bit.ly/3CwBgeQ

Community-engaged research thrives on the inclusion of local voices. West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine's (WVSOM) Center for Rural and Community Health (CRCH) exemplifies this approach and has a wealth of experience building partnerships by addressing community needs, fostering relationships, and supporting community-led projects. In collaboration with WVSOM, the Community Engagement Alliance Consultative Resource (CEACR) produced a fact sheet based on 2 WVSOM case studies that illustrate effective community-centered practices. "Spreading the word about these programs aligns perfectly with CEACR's mission to promote best practices in community-engaged research," said Emily Finley, M.P.H. One case study tells the story of how WVSOM CRCH offered its space, hosted task force meetings, and served as a connector for community resources in response to a deadly flood in West Virginia. By providing resources and actively responding to community needs, the WVSOM built a strong foundation of trust and reciprocity with community members, which can support future community-engaged research. This new fact sheet offers expert recommendations based on real-life experiences, guiding researchers in their community-engaged projects. Learn more about this collaboration: https://bit.ly/4hUg8z5 #NationalRuralHealthDay

Health care professionals now find large numbers of Latinx immigrant youth and families in their waiting rooms, yet there is relatively little published research on their mental health experiences and clinical needs. National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) Insights article highlights research by Amanda Venta, Ph.D., and insights from her work with the Office of Refugee Resettlement, where she provides psychological services for unaccompanied immigrant minors. With over a decade of research, her findings emphasize that immigrant health and well-being are deeply tied to interpersonal relationships. Family separation, an interpersonal risk, impacts mental health in youth, whereas Latinx cultural values like 𝑓𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑚𝑜 act as protective factors, fostering resilience and social support. Dig into Dr. Venta's research: https://bit.ly/4fIRcJ9

Kunga Denzongpa represented CEACR's evaluation team at the American Evaluation Association (AEA) annual conference, where she presented on culturally responsive equitable evaluation (CREE) and how Community-Campus Partnerships for Health and CEACR are using CREE in their work. What is CREE? CREE is an approach that incorporates cultural, structural, and contextual factors and uses a participatory process that shifts power to individuals most impacted. At the completion of a consultation CEACR held for an NIH-funded project seeking community engagement support, the CEACR evaluation team used a key CREE principle of inclusive collaboration throughout their evaluation process. How did they do this? CEACR brought key stakeholders, like community representatives, investigators, and liaisons, together to provide recommendations for appropriate spaces for seeking feedback on their evaluation plans. CEACR also used their feedback to revise their survey design. Learn more about the CEACR team and their work: https://bit.ly/3CuuQNh

Community organizations and researchers: Take a tour of the redesigned NIH Grants and Funding website. The National Institutes of Health has optimized and relaunched grants.nih.gov with: ✅ Modern design and clear navigation ✅ Improved search features ✅ Reorganized content designed with you in mind The new home page prioritizes the most relevant and popular resources based on years of analytics. Visit the site to watch a video explaining the new search functions, and then check out the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts page for funding opportunities you may be eligible for: https://bit.ly/3UPsa2Q

NIH CEAL showed up in force this year at American Public Health Association's 2024 Annual Meeting and Expo. From energizing presentations in rooms packed with researchers and community leaders fired up about the power of community-engaged research to dynamic discussions about how community organizations and academic partners can improve their collaborations. There is no doubt that everyone left inspired and proud to be a part of this work. We had the opportunity to capture CEAL in action at APHA. Enjoy this wrap-up, and please tag your featured colleagues in the comments ⬇️ Kudos to all of the CEAL teams and programs who showcased how community collaboration drives health equity forward and a big thank you to everyone who stopped by a CEAL event to join the conversation.

Alaska's population includes more than 180,000 members of 229 federally recognized tribes, many of whom depend on foods gathered, hunted, and fished from the land and waters. Climate change impacts the local air, water, and land and, therefore, has a direct and concentrated effect on the nutritional status and health of these Alaskan people, exacerbating already high levels of chronic diseases. Addressing these issues and protecting Alaskan communities requires collaborative efforts that honor Indigenous knowledge and align with community priorities. Alaska's ACE-CH team works alongside rural Alaska Native communities to address the health impacts of a changing climate by: ✅ Prioritizing Indigenous knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about climate change and its impacts on health and well-being in Alaska ✅ Co-producing new strategies to assess multilevel climate and health risk and resilience factors in rural Alaska Native communities ✅ Implementing Indigenous-led interventions to build adaptive capacity and holistic well-being in rural Alaska Native communities Discover the work of Alaska's ACE-CH team: https://bit.ly/3SRJ68d

Black churches 🤝 Alabama CEAL Alabama CEAL researchers partnered with Black churches to develop a robust community outreach program during COVID-19. After implementation, researchers interviewed clergy and church staff, noting key insights for future activities. Check out feedback researchers received from their community partners. ↓