The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #44964

Ann-Gel Palermo¹, Sandro Galea, MD, MPH², Eric Canales³, Joanne King⁴, and David Vlahov, PhD². (1) Institute for Medicare Practice, 1200 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2a, Box 1062, New York, NY 10029, 212-241-8886, ann-gel.palermo@mountsinai.org, (2) Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies, New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10029, (3) CUES, New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10029, (4) Harlem East Life Plan, 2369 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10035

The New York City Urban Research Center (URC) is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded project that brings together community members and researchers working in East and Central Harlem, New York City. The URC is guided by a Community Action Board (CAB) that develops, implements, and directs research and interventions. The CAB designed a Small Grant Program (SGP) intended to fund community based organizations (CBOs) and residents in Harlem who may have solutions to address particular health problems in the community. The SGP was intended to bring together CBOs, CAB members and researchers, to augment work being carried out by the CBOs and community leaders, and to build local capacity in designing, and evaluating, interventions. A CAB sucommittee undertook the development, and implementation, of the CGP. Applications, in the form of a brief letter, were solicited through informational material distributed to CBOs and community leaders in East and Central Harlem. 35 grant applications were received. The CAB sucommittee reviewed the proposals and awarded 5 grants. The grantees included: a peer-based program to help women overcoming disadvantages and affected by HIV/AIDS and substance use; a life-skills education program for Latina substance using women; a peer-based adolescent health education program; a multicultural bereavement service created to educate and help families heal from the loss of loved ones; a faith-based community center to provide HIV/AIDS counseling , education, and care. CAB members and researchers are meeting with each of the grantees to help implement, and evaluate, the programs.

Learning Objectives:

• To discuss issues particularly to community based participatory public health practice
• To consider ways to involve CBOs in intervention research

Keywords: Community,

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.