Partners in education, evaluation, and research (PEER):Research capacity building in community health organizations

Background: Community engagement and rigorous science are both necessary to successfully address community health issues. Strong, trustful, equitable partnerships between community and academic centers are therefore vital. The PEER program was developed to increase research capacity in community health organizations, strengthen community organization/academic partnerships, and facilitate equitable partnered research. Methods: Responding to local community health organizations' request for research training, the Community Engagement Core of the Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative (CTSC) and the Prevention Research Center for Healthy Neighborhoods (PRCHN) at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) received funding to co-create the PEER training program. Community organizations and faculty worked collaboratively to develop the application process, curriculum, project development and evaluation. Results: PEER is an 18-month, team-based program that started in June 2012 with five community organizations. Each team consists of a community organization supervisor, a community mid-level staff person (PEER fellow) and a faculty partner. Fellows participate in didactic sessions and conduct a community based research project with their faculty partner. Pre and post program evaluations assess competencies in conducting community-based partnered research. Data from didactic session evaluations are being used to modify subsequent sessions in real time. Additionally, feedback from fellows has emphasized the value of applying newly acquired skills in the research project component. Conclusion: The length and structure of this unique program demonstrates a commitment to developing sustainable research capacity growth and community/academic equitable partnered research. Staffing changes and time for program participation have proved a challenge for some.