CORE II: COMMUNITY LIAISON

Core Director: Olveen Carrasquillo, M.D. M.P.H
Co-Directors: Ralph Sacco, M.D., M.S.
Nelson Peralta, M.D

The goal of the Community Liaison Core for the Columbia Center for the Active Life of Minority Elders (CALME), is to foster the acceptance of research and promote enrollment and retention of older minority subjects in aging research projects by developing and maintaining positive relationships with individual minority group members and minority community based organizations (CBOs).

The methods we are using to accomplish our goal are:

The creation of a knowledge base at Columbia that is both generalizable and locally relevant about factors that hinder or facilitate minority participation in research. The strategies use for the creation of this knowledge base are:
a) Documenting and pooling information from minority research at Columbia. Core II is responsible for collecting and recording information by abstracting from local research protocols, projects memos, and other project materials and by interviewing research colleagues at Columbia regarding these issues.

b) Review of minority research literature. Core II is also collecting information about minority participation in research form literature reviews and library information system searches reflecting the experience of researchers in other minority communities. The results are available as resources for researchers at Columbia.

c) Communication with other minority researchers and minority research centers. Direct communication with minority researchers at sites and other minority centers is facilitated by CALME.

d) Interaction with local community minority group members and CBO's. The primary source of information about barriers to and facilitating factor for research participation by minority group members still is the local minority community. The existing and on-going regular interaction between Center researchers and clinicians at Columbia with the minority community and its CBO's provides and informal means of gathering such information. Core II is regularly soliciting this information from these sources and sharing it with researchers. In addition, the Community Advisory Board provides a mechanism to assure that the Center is aware of relevant information that has come to their attention.

Knowledge about recruitment and retention methods for minority group members will be disseminated locally through the CALME Research Newsletter and the CALME Community Newsletter. Also, the Annual Local Conferences and Poster Session serves to foster dissemination an information sharing among the Columbia research and the local minority communities. Center members also make presentations and circulate newsletters, brochures and other Center materials at other local conferences. Issues of the Bird's Eye Reports emerges from the bi-directional educational meeting with the executive board of WHICOA. At the same time the use of the Local News Media by Dr. Lantigua, Dr. Pablos-Mendez, and other leaders of the Center also gives us the opportunity to present information about the new center and its activities with the minority communities.

National dissemination of knowledge about recruitment and retention methods for minority participants in research is been possible through:

a) The Center's Wed Page,
b) National Scientific Conferences,
c) Scientific Journals and other Publications.
d) Networking with Minority Centers and Researchers.

A Community Advisory Board(CAB) has been establishes to increase awareness of the benefits of aging research among leaders and members of community-based organizations. The members of these CAB are:

Norma De Candido, Executive Director of Seniors Helping Seniors(SHS), a grass roots organization of retired persons in Northern Manhattan established in 1980.

Moises Perez co-founder and Executive Director of Alianza Dominicana, Inc. (ADI). ADI is a multi-service, comprehensive, CBO for children, youth and families. Founded in 1986. He is also Co-Chair and founder of the Northern Manhattan Collaborates(NBC)., which is the broadest program planning and implementation body in the area.

The Washington Height-Inwood Council On Aging (WHICOA) is a coalition of approximately 50 community based service agencies Council on Aging (WHICOA) located in and serving elders in northern Manhattan. The Executive Committee of WHICOA has served as the forum for the Bird's Eye Reports.

The Isabella Geriatric Center is a multilevel CBO in north Manhattan that encompasses a full range of long term care services for the elderly including skilled nursing, intermediate care, and assisted living domiciliary facilities, as well as in home community based care.

The Harlem Hospital Community Advisory Board, this Advisory Board consist of 25 members from the community and a hospital representative. Community Boards 9, 10, and 11 are also represented. They hold monthly meeting, review health services and other hospital related matters brought to its attention by its constituents and by the Hospital, and makes recommendations concerning programs and services for the Harlem community.

Presbyterian Hospital Community Health Council, this council was formed in 1978 to be the community advisory board of the Presbyterian Hospital . The Council consists of providers and consumers who make recommendations concerning programs and services for the community, review Certificates of Need submitted by the Hospital to the NYS Department of Health.