Community Engagement

All investigations conducted by the Center involve community-based participatory research (CBPR).  This means we rely on the expertise of local leaders (both formally and informally recognized) in shaping the direction of our research, giving us the ability to really understand what's happening in these areas.  Thus we can intervene with some of the resources needed to help neighborhoods help themselves become healthier and then continue that trend long past our involvement.  We're guided by the concept that the most effective approach to improving a healthy lifestyle is to engage the individual at many levels, through: peers, family, health care providers, school, work, neighborhoods, houses of worship, regulations, and policies.

It's critical to the mission of the Center that we engage the community in those ways as we conduct our research.  Just as important is engaging the community in the communication of our findings.  We, and our funding organization the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, believe that the outcomes of our research can lead to healthier neighborhoods in Greater Cleveland and throughout the country in metropolitan areas facing similar issues.  Therefore we seek to engage members of the communities we serve throughout the entire process of our research to make sure the results can have maximum impact.

Please check back here in the future for more information on specifically how we are doing this.