Community Engagement at UM[B] Richard P. Barth Presented to the Deans Meeting March 28, 2012

Community Engagement at UM[B] Multiple Organizations – School of Medicine CTSI (Community Engagement Research Resource: CERR) – OEA President’s Outreach Council (POC) – School of Social Work Social Work Community Outreach Service (SWCOS) Promise Heights (PH) – UMMC (no name to date) – Many more?

Community Engagement at UM[B] Multiple Communities – Westside Initiative – Poppleton (POC, SWCOS) – Upton/Druid Heights (PH) – Brooklyn Curtis Bay (SWCOS) – Poor Communities (served by FQHCs like Total Health Care, Inc) – MARYLAND?

Community Engagement at UM[B] Multiple Purposes Community strengthening (PH and Brooklyn/Curtis Bay) Increasing economic viability (Westside) “Bringing better health to our communities through implementation and delivery research (e.g., innovative new approaches including mobile tools for outcome assessment, social media for community outreach, analytic approaches to assess health practices, strategies to obtain community input, and working with public and private sponsors for community outreach)” (CERR, General) Pipeline to Graduate School? (POC) Increasing health equity and well-being [and reduce hospital readmission] (UMMC)

Community Engagement at UM[B] Common Limitations – Limited research funding/knowledge building Impact is very hard to measure – No significant incentives (e.g., from APT) Almost no senior (tenure) track faculty leadership is engaged – Difficult to keep funding going (foundation grants provide a lot of support) – Student experiences are less easily structured than are traditional clinical experiences

Community Engagement at UM[B] Common Appeal – Federal, state, and local funders are investing in “place based” initiatives – University-community partnerships are essential—we are an anchor institutions: if not us, then who? – Students seek ways to “give back” – Many grants now require community engagement (even though they often don’t pay for it) – Practice is moving into the community and away from intensive facilities – Education and crime are the dominant topics in Baltimore and we can hardly ignore them – Makes UMB a more attractive place by building safe and welcoming nearby communities – Good interprofessional education opportunities because resident’s problems are often complex and chronic

Another Partner: UMMC John Spearman and Dana Farrakhan, UMMC VP, Strategic Planning and System Program Development hosted a retreat last week. Their vision, “in collaboration with community partners, assure health equity and significantly improve the health and well being of residents of West Baltimore, our local community.” Goals Support the development of healthy and safe community environments in the West Baltimore Community Improve and expand access to clinical and community prevention services Empower the community to make healthy lifestyle choices With community and government collaborations, ensure health equity within our community Eager to work strategically with UMB and to begin to pool resources. HOW DO WE INCLUDE THEM?

Options to Discuss Let a thousand flowers bloom (do nothing different) Create a Federation of Outreach Services (possibly renamed as the “President’s Outreach Council”) – Cross-train on community engagement approaches – Share IT needs and solutions – Share measures of social epidemiology Create a single University-level Outreach Service – Place under CTSI or under OEA or a School – Perhaps with a Community Clinic for Interprofessional practice and outreach, underneath (as per UNC’s SHAQ) Develop a set of “Associate Dean’s for Community Partnerships” to coordinate this across campus Refer this to the Strategic Planning Group to Figure it Out!