{"id":8010,"date":"2022-10-25T22:36:58","date_gmt":"2022-10-25T22:36:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nau.edu\/sherc\/?p=8010"},"modified":"2023-03-21T19:41:20","modified_gmt":"2023-03-21T19:41:20","slug":"renewal-cores","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legacy.nau.edu\/sherc\/renewal-cores\/","title":{"rendered":"How is SHERC\u2019s work done? Through 5 dynamic cores"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Five<\/a>
From left, Heather Williamson, Carmenlita Chief, and Robert T. Trotter II work on a project during a center retreat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Through an innovative and dedicated team of faculty, staff, students and community organizations, the Southwest Health Equity Research Collaborative addresses health disparities among diverse populations in the southwestern U.S. through health equity research.<\/p>\n

SHERC\u2019s strength lies in its five organized cores\u2014Community Engagement Core, Research Capacity Core, Investigator Development Core, Recruitment Core and Administrative Core\u2014each with its specialty, but all working in synergy to increase basic biomedical, clinical, and behavioral research at Northern Arizona University.<\/p>\n

In the next five years, the cores will have a new common goal of incorporating a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) in alignment with NAU\u2019s new charter, \u201cNAU 2025\u2014Elevating Excellence<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

SHERC\u2019s leadership, Community Expert Board (CEB), staff and others will work collaboratively with DEIJ experts to guide the development, implementation, and assessment of the center\u2019s work.<\/p>\n

As one of the only Research Centers in Minority Institutions<\/a> (RCMIs) dedicated to serving people and training investigators who are American Indian\/Alaska Native, SHERC\u2019s five cores will also continue to work together with community partners to expand their ability to address health disparities in chronic and infectious diseases and determine high-priority behavioral health conditions.<\/p>\n

Community Engagement Core<\/h2>\n
\"Four<\/a>
From left, Carmenlita Chief, Samantha Sabo, Alexandra Samarron Longorio and Nicolette Teufel-Shone join together for a photo during a meeting.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The overall goal of the Community Engagement Core<\/a> (CEC) is to cultivate and expand relationships with multisectoral, community-based organizations and leaders to address locally identified health concerns.<\/p>\n

Led by Samantha Sabo<\/strong>, associate professor, Department of Health Sciences and CHER, with co-lead Nicolette Teufel-Shone<\/strong>, professor, Department of Health Sciences and associate director of CHER, the team includes Heather Williamson<\/strong>, associate professor, Department of Occupational Therapy and CHER; senior program coordinators Carmenlita Chief<\/strong>, Alexandra Samarron Longorio<\/strong>, Mark Remiker<\/strong> and Alexandra Olin<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The CEC will use an innovative, four-direction framework to address the social determinants of health\u2014the conditions in which people are born, live, learn, work, play and age\u2014in Arizona and to develop a dynamic, comprehensive plan for the CEC.<\/p>\n

Partnerships will work at the community, provider, and policy levels for health equity research, intervention, translation, and dissemination.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the last decade, public health researchers and practitioners have shifted their focus from identifying health disparities to addressing the economic, social, and environmental \u2018root causes\u2019 of health inequity,\u201d Sabo said. \u201cThe CEC team recognizes that multisectoral partnerships\u2014beyond the realms of health and health care are critical in building the necessary infrastructure, policy, and political will to ameliorate health inequity \u2013 and this is what we intend to do\u2014in partnership with community, faculty, staff and students across NAU and the region.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Three<\/a>
From left, Carmenlita Chief, Nicolette Teufel-Shone and Alexandra Samarron Longorio produce an episode of the Fairness First podcast.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

During the past five years, the CEC successfully developed a Fairness First Campaign creating 10 health equity podcasts and engaging community members and researchers through two programs: Health Justice Futures and Fairness Firstx Talks. They also developed a series of Fairness First blogs where NAU early-stage investigators had an opportunity to connect their work with health equity.<\/p>\n

The CEC team created the 2020 Regional Health Equity Survey Repor<\/a>t (RHES), developed from a survey of 200 Arizona county-level leaders from various sectors who shared their knowledge, attitudes and actions on health equity with researchers from the CEC. Leaders answered in-depth survey questions in the RHES that addressed the social, environmental, and economic conditions that impact the health and well-being of the communities they serve.<\/p>\n

To assist NAU faculty in developing relationships with community partners, the CEC created the Community-Campus Partnership Support (CCPS) program to offer funds for partnership building. In the first five years, the CEC funded 17 CCPS partnership awards. Additionally, 81 percent of NAU leads on the 16 CCPS projects supported by CEC are early-stage investigators.<\/p>\n

For the upcoming five years, the CCPS has changed its name to the Health Equity Research Support<\/a> (HERS) and has been expanded and launched as a two-track program\u2014Partnership Development and Community Dissemination.
\nBoth tracks provide $5,000 of support and mentored training through a cohort format, which includes three face-to-face workshops over a one-year period.<\/p>\n

The Partnership Development track workshops introduce strategies and best practices to build an equitable alliance between community practitioners and university investigators. Funds can be used to meet face-to-face to discuss potential collaborative work or to attend a conference addressing common interests to inspire potential projects.<\/p>\n

The Community Dissemination track workshops provide training to university scholars on innovative and effective ways to share results with community members and stakeholders with a focus on policy and systems change.
\nApplications to participate in each of the programs will be available in November, 2022, and kick off in February, 2023. For more information, visit the HERS page.<\/p>\n

Research Capacity Core<\/h2>\n
\"A<\/a>
From left, Catherine Propper, Monica Lininger and Robert Trotter II present at a meeting.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Research Capacity Core\u2019s<\/a> (RCC) primary function is to ensure the success of all SHERC research projects and faculty by providing access to computing, statistical, and research design expertise.<\/p>\n

RCC also works across campus and with the National Institutes of Health\u2019s Research Centers in Minority Institutions<\/a> and Clinical and Translational Science Institute<\/a> partners to maximize the potential for multidisciplinary collaborations that address ongoing and emerging health disparities in the southwestern United States.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe RCC’s goal is to grow the health equity-related research program at NAU. We will work closely with the other cores to bring these enhancements to support health equity across the Southwest,\u201d said Catherine Propper, RCC lead and professor, Department of Biological Sciences. \u201cThrough our specific aims we will provide resources to ensure the success of investigators at all phases of their research experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other RCC team members include co-lead Regents\u2019 Professor Emeritus Robert T. Trotter II<\/strong>; co-lead Monica Lininger<\/strong>, associate professor, Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training; Mark Remiker<\/strong>, senior research coordinators; Indrakshi Roy<\/strong>, biostatistician, and Amy Gelatt<\/strong>, research coordinator.<\/p>\n

RCC resources include financial support to use the Center for Community Health and Engaged Research\u2019s Technical Assistance Group<\/a> (TAG) to provide help on study design and analytic procedures, workshops to support researchers\u2019 educational needs and support to purchase research equipment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe RCC is excited to support and implement new pathways for all investigators conducting research important to achieve an equitable human experience,\u201d Propper said.<\/p>\n

RCC resources include:<\/p>\n