Community and Stakeholder Engagement
The University of Miami Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) mission is to catalyze the development, demonstration, and dissemination of scientific discoveries to improve the health of our community.
In alignment with this mission, the Community and Stakeholder Engagement (CASE) module of our CTSI is committed to accelerating scientific inquiries that contribute to public health improvement. Through robust community engagement (CE), we actively foster a two-way dialogue between our module’s investigators and community stakeholders.
We are committed to coordinating CE research across our CTSI, streamlining efforts to prevent redundancy and optimize impact. Our strategic initiatives include developing innovative operational solutions to overcome institutional barriers to community engagement, enhancing trustworthiness to foster deeper connections with the communities we serve, and expanding our CE infrastructure.
The program can help study teams with the following:
- Links to community partners (individual and organizations)
- How to compensate research participants
- Advisement on recruitment
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION
Complete the consultation form, providing detailed information about your research objectives and engagement requirements.
CTSI Trustworthiness Seed Funding Opportunity
Aims to enhance community-academic collaborations between the University of Miami and community partners. The purpose of this award is to deploy the AAMC trustworthiness framework with academic research teams and community organizations who already have an ongoing partnership, and to ensure that the deployment of the trustworthiness framework is effective and beneficial to all involved parties. It also aims to bridge the trust gap by promoting transparency, mutual understanding, and collaborative decision-making. Learn more
Community Engagement Studios
Community Engagement Studios provide University of Miami investigators with a structured opportunity to gather project-specific feedback from community members and other stakeholders whose perspectives can strengthen research. By facilitating meaningful dialogue between researchers and the communities they aim to serve, the program helps ensure that research questions, study design, implementation strategies, and dissemination plans are informed by real-world experiences and priorities.
Through guided sessions, investigators receive valuable insights that can enhance the relevance, feasibility, and impact of their work. Currently, participation in Community Engagement Studios is required for active CTSI K12 scholars.
Resources
Community Connect is a mobile app that helps community organizations connect directly with University of Miami researchers and physicians whose expertise aligns with their interests, priorities, and needs. Whether you are seeking guidance on a health issue, looking to collaborate on a research project, or exploring opportunities to bring evidence-based solutions to your community, Community Connect makes it easier to find and engage with the right experts.
Likewise, Community Connect allows investigators at UM to expand their partnerships and build stronger relationships with organizations that share their commitment to improving community health and well-being.
Download Community Connect
Access the Community Connect app by downloading it to their smartphone or tablet, using the iOS and Android links provided below.
- Facilitators Guide
- Student Workbook
- Welcome & Introduction
- Topics:
- Topic 1: What is Research? Patient Centered Outcomes Research?
- Topic 2: Ethics: What Does it Mean to Conduct Research in an Ethical Way?
- Topic 3: Study Allocation and Randomization: How to ensure all research participants have equal chances, without bias?
- Topic 4: Different ways to gather research data
- Topic 5: How to inform the participants about their rights and risks associated with a study?
- Topic 6: Following the rules and instructions as part of a team
- Topic 7: How to report the results of a study and to whom?
VIDEO: Community Reviewers Training Session
The Southeast Collaborative for Innovative & Equitable Solutions to Chronic Disease Disparities (P50) Center shows community reviewers how to review pilot project proposals.
Community Steering Committee
| Member | Title | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| Jennifer Bretsch | Manager, Health Care Quality and Public Health Initiatives Director of Programs, AAMC Center for Health Justice |
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) |
| Paola Calderon | Program Coordinator | Common Threads |
| Dr. Katherine Chung-Bridges | Chief Community Research Officer | Health Choice Network |
| Dr. Nadia Cumberbatch | Family Medicine Physician | Jessie Trice Community Health System |
| Lieren DeVera | Programs & Scholars Manager | Miami Dade Area Health Education Center |
| Lizzy Endemano | Research Operations Manager | Health Choice Network |
| Barbara Fonte | Vice President, Managed Care | Jackson Health System |
| Trina Harris | CEO | Touching Miami with Love |
| Dr. Vanessa Madrazo | Helpline Coordinator | NAMI Miami-Dade County |
| Nicole Marriott | President & CEO | Health Council of South Florida |
| Christopher Pecori | Clinical Research Liaison | Metro Dade Firefighters Local 1403 |
Contact
Angelica Agati
Sr. Manager, Community & Stakeholder Engagement
Email: [email protected]