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The CCET facilitates researcher and community member collaborations that develop community-engaged research methods, instruments, and educational materials for research projects. The following services are available at any time during the research lifecycle and provide a structured setting for researchers to enhance their research projects through learning from community experts. Upon request, CCET services can be held in rural or community preferred locations, and in languages other than English.

  • Engagement Sessions

    Engagement Sessions are a two-hour consultation with a specific demographic of participants, who are considered “experts” based on their specific lived-life experiences. These participants may be community members, patients, providers, or other stakeholders. Unlike Focus Groups, researchers are present during the Sessions and data is not collected/recorded for analysis. Should a researcher be interested in using Engagement Session information for publications or qualitative analysis/direct quotes, a “hybrid” Engagement Session option is available. Hybrid Engagement Sessions require IRB approval and participant consent.

    Although Engagement Sessions are most successful when conducted in-person, there may be occasions where another modality may need to be used. Examples of this include circumstances that make an in-person meeting impossible, the need of a National or out-of-area perspective, participants from a vulnerable population or with a condition that prevents them from attending in-person, or very narrow inclusion/exclusion criteria. In these situations, a virtual “Tele-Session” option is available. CCET services can also be conducted in-person at locations outside of Salt Lake City.

    Brief summary of Engagement Sessions:

    • 4 consults with research team for initial Engagement Session; 2 consults for subsequent Engagement Sessions on the same topic
    • Recruitment of Session participants; preparing and communicating with them before the Session
    • Consent of participants (if requested and IRB approved)
    • A trained facilitator and scribe for each Engagement Session
    • A written report including the summary of participant comments made during the Session
    • An audio recording file of Session (if requested and IRB approved)
    • Handling all logistics for Engagement Sessions, including catering
    • Compensation for 8-10 Session participants ($75 gift card/person)

    Community Advisory Boards

    Community Advisory Boards are conducted in the same manner as Engagement Sessions with the same group of experts who meet monthly, quarterly, or as needed.

    Brief summary of CAB Service

    • 4 consults with research team for 1st CAB meeting; 2 consults for subsequent CAB meetings
    • Recruiting and preparing CAB members; communicating with them before and after each CAB meeting
    • A trained facilitator and scribe for each CAB meeting
    • A written report on the outcomes of each CAB meeting
    • Handling all logistics for CAB meetings, including catering
    • Compensation for 8-10 CAB members ($75/person)
  • Personal Interviews

    Personal interviews are one-on-one conversations with participants, conducted either in-person or using other modalities to gain input on research.

    Brief Summary of Interview Service

    • 4 consults with research team
    • Recruiting and preparing interviewees
    • A trained facilitator for each interview
    • A written report on the outcomes from all interviews
    • Audio recording of each interview (if IRB approved)
    • Compensation for 8-10 CAB members ($50/person)
    1. Community Dialogues are forums that gather people from various groups to create opportunities to engage in social interactions. The purpose for these dialogues is to exchange information, share personal experiences, and to express and clarify points of view on a given topic. The dialogue is led by a trained facilitator, who addresses 3-4 guiding questions. A community dialogue is held in a safe and respectful environment, with the objective of addressing issues and developing solutions of interest to the community. 

     

    1. A Community Dialogues service includes:
      • CCET consultations with the research team
      • Recruiting and preparation of participants
      • Preparation of virtual or in person setting
      • Trained Facilitators and Scribes
      • A written report on the outcomes from the dialogue
      • Compensation for participants
  • Return of Results is the sharing of project outcomes with community participants at the end of a research project. Returning results develops a close community relationship and is crucial in ensuring quality community engaged research.

    Return of Results will be customized to each project but may look like

    • Meeting virtually or in-person with participants to share and discuss findings
    • Sharing with participants a recorded presentation regarding the findings
    • Sharing via e-mail publications or presentation materials with participants
  • The CCET provides workshops and trainings to institutions, teams, community members, organizations, and researchers to help others form meaningful collaborations, engagement, and community-based research projects. In addition to the following, the CCET is able to design and facilitate workshops and trainings on other topics to meet the needs of both researchers and communities.

    Introduction to Collaborative Community-Academic Research Projects

    This workshop is offered bi-annually to both researchers and community members/leaders. In this interactive workshop, participants review the steps in carrying out a research project, explore effective ways to initiate and plan collaborative projects, and identify community health priorities for grant proposal collaborations.

    Trainings on CCET Engagement Methodology:

    • Recruitment Training
    • Facilitation Training
    • Scribe Training
    • Conducting a “Tele-Studio”
  • Community Faces of Utah (CFU)

    Community Faces of Utah (CFU) is a partnership among community, university, and health department organizations in Salt Lake City that focuses on engaging and empowering all to pursue better health and eliminate health inequalities.

    The group was organized in 2009 and includes the following organizations:

     The partnership operates on principles of mutual respect, collaboration, equality, and multi-directional learning.

    CFU meets monthly to collaborate on various research and community projects. Researchers who are interested in meeting and/or collaborating with the group are asked to contact Co-Director Ana Sanchez-Birkhead (ana.sanchez-birkhead@nurs.utah.edu) to discuss their project and, if appropriate, arrange a time on a meeting agenda.

    Additional Community Partnerships

    In addition to CFU, the CCET maintains strong partnerships with other community and healthcare organizations. Contact us to be connected to any of the following:

    • Alzheimer’s Association Utah Chapter
    • Alliance Community Services
    • American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
    • Autism Council of Utah
    • Comagine Health
    • Comunidades Unidas
    • Equality Utah
    • Fourth Street Clinic
    • Healthy West Valley City
    • Huntsman Cancer Institute
    • Intermountain Healthcare
    • Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation – Mountain Valley Chapter
    • National Network of Libraries of Medicine
    • Natural History Museum of Utah
    • Neighborhood House
    • Planned Parenthood Association of Utah
    • Salt Lake City Public Library
    • Salt Lake County Public Libraries
    • Salt Lake County Mayor’s Council on Diversity Affairs
    • Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable
    • South Valley Services
    • University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics
    • Utah Clean Energy
    • Utah Department of Veteran’s Affairs
    • Utah Diabetes Prevention and Control Program
    • Utah Health Literacy Coalition
    • Utah Health Policy Project
    • Utah Pride Center
    • Utah Public Health Association – Community Health Workers