Community-driven partnerships with Community-Engaged Research teams bring resources and reliable information to Baltimore residents

Emily Kumpf; Veena Thamilselvan; Ethan Wang; Patricia Barger; Janice Gentry; Chevelle Bash; Donald Young; Samuel Byiringiro; Joann Bodurtha; Antoinette Brown; Minli Guo; Audrey Carter; Latrice Price; Percy Smith; Cyd Lacanienta; Cheryl Himmelfarb; Albert W Wu

doi:10.1017/cts.2024.606

Community-driven partnerships with Community-Engaged Research teams bring resources and reliable information to Baltimore residents

J Clin Transl Sci. 2024 Oct 23;8(1):e205. doi: 10.1017/cts.2024.606. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Emily Kumpf^{1

2}, Veena Thamilselvan^{1

3}, Ethan Wang^{1

4}, Patricia Barger^{1

5}, Janice Gentry^{1

6}, Chevelle Bash^{1

7}, Donald Young^{1

8

9}, Samuel Byiringiro^{1

8

9}, Joann Bodurtha^{1

10}, Antoinette Brown^{1

11}, Minli Guo^{1

12}, Audrey Carter^{1

13

14}, Latrice Price^{1

15}, Percy Smith^{1

16}, Cyd Lacanienta^{1

9}, Cheryl Himmelfarb^{8

9}, Albert W Wu^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Baltimore CONNECT, Baltimore, MD, USA.
² Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
³ Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁴ Kreiger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁵ The Family Tree, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁶ Biddle Neighborhood Association, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁷ Green and Health Homes Initiative, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁸ Community Engagement Alliance for DC, Maryland and Virginia (CEAL DMV), Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁹ Institute for Clinical Translational Research, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
¹⁰ Family History Tutorial, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
¹¹ Our Daily Bread Employment Center, Catholic Charities, Baltimore, MD, USA.
¹² Marketing Analytics, Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School, Baltimore, MD, USA.
¹³ Youth Ventures, Baltimore, MD, USA.
¹⁴ Oliver Community Association, Baltimore, MD, USA.
¹⁵ Infinite Legacy, Baltimore, MD, USA.
¹⁶ Nuwave Health Services, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Abstract

This case study presents an analysis of community-driven partnerships, focusing on the nonprofit Baltimore CONNECT (BC) network and its collaborative efforts with a Community-Engaged Research (CEnR) team of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR). BC has built a network of over 30 community-based organizations to provide health and social services in Baltimore City. The study emphasizes the role of CEnR in supporting community-led decision-making, specifically in the planning and implementation of community health resource fairs. These fairs address social determinants of health by offering a variety of services, including health education, screenings, vaccinations, and resource distribution. The paper details the methods, resource mobilization, and collaborative framing processes in the execution of these fairs in a community-academic collaboration with the ICTR. Results from a 2.5-year period show the positive impact of the fairs on individuals, families, and the community at large in East Baltimore. The findings underscore the importance of community-led collaborations in addressing health disparities and improving overall community well-being. It concludes by reflecting on the sustained engagement, trust-building, and shared learning that emerges from such partnerships, suggesting a model for future community-academic health initiatives.

Keywords: Community engagement; DEI; community-academic partnership; diversity; equity; inclusion.

Publication types

Case Reports