Community Technology Hubs: Fostering community public health improvement

The COMMUNITY CROSSROADS is a series of programs funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation to strengthen the position of the University of Michigan School of Public Health (SPH) as an "engaged institution." The SPH engaged with community-based organizations and practice organizations in order to share resources, conduct research in partnership, and develop and execute mutually determined teaching endeavors. Equipment was purchased to establish two "tech hubs," technology centers, capable of tele- and video conferencing. A 3-part program utilizing this equipment was developed over a series of meetings that centered around community and state public health priorities and clinical research opportunities. The first part involved developing a series of public health topics that SPH (and other relevant University of Michigan) faculty could discuss or translate for community audiences. The second program part focused on community-centered sessions developed to train or teach SPH (or other related) faculty on such topics as cultural competence. The third program component involved using this technology as an efficient means to communicate for such activities as developing research agendas and jointly crafting research proposals. Lastly, the "tech hubs" have been used in unique ways by each community to reach out and touch its own members with educational and inspirational programs.