This year, the CCTS’s annual Community Engagement Institute (CEI) Symposium joined forces with the 2024 Listening, Engaging, and Acting to Reduce Neighborhood Disparities (LEARN'd) Health Equity Conference, creating a robust platform for collaboration on health equity. The conference, held on September 30-October 1, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency in Hoover, Alabama, brought together national thought leaders, healthcare professionals, and community advocates to address pressing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes.Co-sponsored by the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University (OSU), the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), and numerous community partners, the event focused on “Collaborative Approaches for Cross-Cutting Solutions, Innovation, and Sustainability.” The CCTS was proud to present two key sessions during the conference, showcasing our commitment to addressing health disparities through community-driven solutions.
Shaping a Sustainable Environment for a Healthy Society
This panel discussion, led by Vincent Nathan, PhD, MPH (Health Equity Director, Jefferson County Department of Health), explored how healthcare providers can create patient-centered care experiences that meet both the health and social needs of underserved communities. Featuring experts from diverse fields such as environmental health, policy, and community advocacy, the panel shared real-world examples and best practices for improving health outcomes in historically underserved populations.
Clifford Kennon, CCTS Engagement of Communities Director, emphasized the relevance of this discussion in today’s healthcare landscape, “This panel brought essential conversations on environmental health and justice to the forefront. It bridged academic and community partnerships to explore practical, actionable ways to serve under-resourced communities and improve health outcomes. These discussions are crucial for raising awareness and sharing resources that lead to sustainable change.”
ACTion Learning: Good Intentions
The second CCTS-hosted session was a CCTS ACTion Learning event, providing an interactive experience for researchers interested in community-engaged research. Using local actors to simulate real-life scenarios, participants acted as “directors,” guiding the interaction and learning how initial missteps in community partnerships can affect long-term collaboration.
The session offered a practical, stress-free environment to better understand the dynamics of community engagement and build stronger, more effective partnerships. Researchers gained valuable insights into fostering successful collaborations with community members, ultimately helping to advance research with meaningful impact.
"The highly-engaged and participatory crowd at this ACTion Learning event truly brought the session to life," said Cari Oliver, CCTS ACTion Learning Program Director. "Their insights and thoughtful contributions throughout the interactive experience demonstrated a deep understanding of the challenges in community-engaged research. It was inspiring to see such active involvement, which made the session not only informative but highly impactful for everyone in attendance."
Stay Engaged!
We invite you to stay connected with the CCTS and continue the conversation on health equity. Visit our LinkedIn page to stay connected with us, keep reading below to see pictures from the event, and check out the resources provided by our expert panelists through the following websites:
Panelists from “Shaping a Sustainable Environment for a Healthy Society”:
- Vincent Nathan, PhD, MPH – Moderator
Health Equity Director, Jefferson County Department of Health Environmental & Public Health - Kristen Boggs, MSW – Co-Moderator Q&A
Executive Director, Albert Schweitzer Fellowship of Alabama - Mark Meade, PhD – Panelist
Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, UAB School of Public Health - Jilisa Milton, J.D., MSW – Panelist
Executive Director, Greater-Birmingham Alliance to Stop Pollution (GASP) - Francesca Gross, MS Environmental Engineering Science – Panelist
Program Manager, Cool Green Trees, CAWACO RC&D Council - Abigail Franks – Panelist
Policy Manager, Southeast Climate and Energy Network - Rachel Stokes, DrPH, MPH, REHS – Panelist
Project Manager, National Environmental Health Association - La'Tanya Scott, BS – Panelist
Education Director, Cahaba River Society
We look forward to continuing to work together to address health equity challenges and foster meaningful partnerships for lasting change. Subscribe to the weekly CCTS Digest to stay informed of all upcoming CCTS events.
