Center for Latino Health Research Opportunities-CLaRO Community Engagement and Dissemination Core

Bastida, Elena

Abstract

The Community Engagement and Dissemination Core (CEDc) of the Center for Latino Health Research Opportunities (CLaRO) draws from the experiences and expertise that El Centro and CRUSADA have acquired during 20 combined years of community engagement to propose aims and a plan of action to address substance abuse, violence, and HIV/AIDS in vulnerable Latino groups. The El Centro and CRUSADA have built extensive networks of community partners that will be essential to advancing the goals and objectives of CLaRO in Miami-Dade County. Guided by CLaRO leadership and key personnel, the Community Engagement and Dissemination Core (CEDc) will implement a CBPR approach to achieve three aims. (1) Conduct a community level assessment of needs, resources, and existing services related to the above conditions; (2) Build an equitable, collaborative and sustainable consortium of community based agencies and other stakeholders dedicated to the prevention or reduction of these public health concerns; and, (3) Develop an effective dissemination plan to (a) engage community members, partnering organizations, and service providers in disseminating and translating research findings into sustainable community and system level changes and (b) deliver customized messages and training to community partners and at-large community members. Quantitative and qualitative multi-level data from diverse sources will be used to produce comprehensive analysis of the targeted communities to facilitate intervention research in these communities and to inform public policy at multiple levels of influence. An extensive training and dissemination effort is also proposed.