The UAMS Translational Research Institute (TRI) Community Engagement Program has selected seven teams of community members and researchers that have partnered to participate in training and jointly develop community-based participatory research projects.
The Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Scholars teams will work through learning modules and participate in online discussions and mentoring to develop health disparities research projects in competition for pilot grants up to $50,000. The teams will learn to apply the principles of CBPR, a collaborative approach that works to involve all partners throughout the research process. Starting with a health-related research topic that is important to the community, the teams will use their new knowledge to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities.
“The CBPR Scholars program marks an exciting milestone for us,” said Kate Stewart, M.D., M.P.H., director of the TRI Community Engagement Program. “It is the next big step in our years-long efforts to engage Arkansans in the research we do at UAMS. We are very excited about the diversity of the seven partnerships that are participating in the program and we look forward to working with them to develop research-based, sustainable health improvements.”
The academic/community partnership teams are:
- Academic: Gerry Ezell, M.D., Jennifer Naylor, Ph.D.
Community: River City Ministries: Paul Wilkerson and Steven Morris - Academic: Brooke Montgomery, Ph.D.
Community: Our House: Maureen Martin - Academic: Sanjay Maraboyina, M.D., Analiz Rodriguez, M.D., Ph.D., Cynthia Dillport, LCSW, and Harriet Farley, LCSW
Community: Home for Healing: Ronnie Fehrenbach and Goodness Village: Janet Webb - Academic: Eva Woodward, Ph.D., Jennifer Gan, and Irenia Ball
Community: AR Freedom Fund: Rae Brown, Anthony Smith and Heather Brown - Academic: Melissa Zielinski, Ph.D., Katy Allison, Ph.D.
Community: AR Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Susie Reece and Wendy Thompson - Academic: Wendy Nembhard, Ph.D., Katie Brown, O.D., Kirk Leach, Ph.D. (UALR), Jennifer Gan, Leah Dawson, Ph.D., Joe Schaffner, Maria Ruvalcaba
Community: Shepherd’s Hope: Sofia Dulanto, Amy Ford (Baptist Health) - Academic: Deanna King, M.D., Ph.D., Charia Hall, Au.D., Rachel Glade, Ph.D. (University of Arkansas, Fayetteville)
Community: AR Hands and Voices: Mandy Jay, Liana Robbins