Creating Mechanisms for Meaningful Collaboration Between Members of Urban Communities and University-Based HIV Prevention Researchers

• Published in: Social work in mental health 2007-05, Vol.5 (1-2), p.147-168
• Main Authors: McKay, Mary M., Hibbert, Richard, Lawrence, Rita, Miranda, Ana, Paikoff, Roberta, Bell, Carl C., Madison-Boyd, Sybil, Baptiste, Donna, Coleman, Doris, Pinto, RogÉRio M., Bannon, William M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; community board recruitment and development; Community collaborative board; Community Services; Cooperation; elementary and junior high school age youth and their families; family-based HIV prevention and mental health; Finance; Urban Areas
• ISSN: 1533-2985; 1533-2993
• DOI: 10.1300/J200v05n01_07

This article provides a description of a Community/University Collaborative Board, a formalized partnership between representatives from an inner-city community and university-based researchers. This Collaborative Board oversees a number of research projects focused on designing, delivering and testing family-based HIV prevention and mental health focused programs to elementary and junior high school age youth and their families. The Collaborative Board consists of urban parents, school staff members, representatives from community-based agencies and university-based researchers. One research project, the CHAMP (Collaborative HIV prevention and Adolescent Mental health Project) Family Program Study, an urban, family-based HIV prevention project will be used to illustrate how the Collaborative Board oversees a community-based research study. The process of establishing a Collaborative Board, recruiting members and developing subcommittees is described within this article. Examples of specific issues addressed by the Collaborative Board within its subcommittees, Implementation, Finance, Welcome, Research, Grant writing, Curriculum, and Leadership, are detailed in this article along with lessons learned.