2015 Urban Affairs Association Conference

Urban research universities are interested in building community research partnerships for advancing health promotion. Florida International University (FIU) is a large Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) located in Miami-Dade. FIU and Miami-Dade fall within a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Miami-Dade is first in the nation in AIDS case rates, and Florida has seen a steady rise in the incidence of HCV among young adults. The SAMHSA-funded “Miami-Dade Partnership for Preventing Health Risks among Young Adults” brings together FIU and two Miami-based CBOs, Union Positiva, and Spectrum Programs, to reduce substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and hepatitis C among Hispanic young adults. Strategies to facilitate academic-community collaboration include: 1) integrating data from a number of sources; 2) involving community members in research activities; 3) creating interdisciplinary research teams; 4) balancing research and action; and 5) implementing culturally tailored evidence-based practices. The Miami-Dade Partnership has received cross-organizational support from both staff and senior administration; both are critical for our efforts to succeed. Three years of SAMHSA funding further solidify the importance of all partner contributions. Early project phases have included: 1) a university-community needs assessment; 2) development of a strategic plan for prevention needs among Hispanic young adults; 3) selection of culturally appropriate evidence-based prevention strategies; and 4) formative research among both university and community leaders and stakeholders. These early phases will serve to inform subsequent health promotion efforts, which will include health screening, point-of-care HIV/HCV testing and counseling, normative and environmental changes, and a media advocacy/awareness campaign. Preliminary results suggest that academic-community partnerships prove successful in advancing health promotion agendas in urban communities.