Community Outreach & Translation Core (COTC)
The Community Outreach and Translation Core (COTC) serves as a forum for exchanging ideas, thoughts and information regarding the impact of the environment on the respiratory health of children in urban and rural Colorado. The COTC is a bridge between scientific investigators and community stakeholders for organizing approaches and strategies for translation and uptake by community members. The COTC assimilates the available research evidence while informing the CEHC research investigators of the need for responsive research to the community. Initially our work in developing this model centers on integrating lung and environmental health within a critical thinking framework into the Colorado Curriculum Standards for schools in Denver and select rural communities. This work will then extend to additional Colorado communities and regions following the development and refinement (based on evaluation) of our model.
Core Leaders: Stanley Szefler, MD and Lisa Cicutto, RN, PhD
Personnel: Nathan Rabinovitch, MD, Melanie Gleason, PA, Ronina Covar, MD, Krysten Crews, MPH, and staff members Cristina Colmenero, Maria Bracamontes, Maryann Ceballos
Specific Aims
- To develop a strong Community Outreach and Translation Core that is informed by the Community Advisory Board (CAB) and accomplishes its work through following the principles of community based participatory research, community engagement and knowledge translation and dissemination.
- To be responsive to the needs of the community, the CEHC, through the Community Outreach and Translation Core will compile existing research evidence related to factors that impact respiratory health of children in Colorado that will be used to inform the work of community stakeholders, such as policies, regulations, and programs.
- The CAB will assist with the interpretation and key messaging of the CEHC’s research as well as informing the strategies for community dissemination and uptake.
- To leverage existing community infrastructures and partnerships to permit the piloting of translation and implementation strategies that will identify the most effective strategies resulting in the uptake of research in communities.
Community Advisory Board (CAB)
Consistent with community based participatory research (CBPR) and the overall goal of improving the environment and health of children/youth in Colorado, a Community Advisory Board has been established to inform and work with researchers and staff of the Children’s Environment and Health Center in Colorado. Our CAB is composed of non-scientists and scientists who review protocols, monitor studies/trials, and help educate and inform the community. Recognizing the unique strengths that each participant and partner brings to the process, the CAB and CEHC will work in partnership to combine knowledge with action to effect social change, including the improvement of health and the elimination of health disparities, which is based on the best available evidence.
Members
Members of the CAB are a diverse group of interdisciplinary professionals who are dedicated to improving the health and environment of children and youth in Colorado and reducing health disparities through understanding the interplay of environment (social, physical, and cultural) and health and the translation and uptake of evidence to change individual behavior, community norms or practices, organizational structure or policies, or environmental conditions. Members of the CAB realize the necessity of a long-term commitment to achieve the goals of the group.
- Julie Marshall, PhD – University of Colorado School of Public Health
- Cindy Liverance – Colorado Lung Association
- Bridget Beatty, MPH – Health Specialist, Denver Public School System
- Teresa Coons, PhD, Colorado Air Quality Control Commission
- Steve McCannon, PhD – Program Manager, regional Air Quality Council
- Mark Anderson, MD – Denver Health and Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit
Members of the Community Outreach and Translational Core collaborate with key community leaders to provide input for various community programs, such as Back to School nights, asthma nights and special events in the Denver Public Schools and San Luis Valley schools to discuss lung health care.
