2025 Community and Collaboration Core Pilot Grant Awardees

Congratulations to our 2025 Community and Collaboration Core Pilot Grant Recipients!

We are pleased to announce the 2025 recipients of the Community and Collaboration Core (CCC) Pilot Grants. The Partnership Development grant provides up to $10,000 per grantee and are designed to build and support community-engaged research (CEnR) partnerships through relationship-building activities, exploring research interests, and developing infrastructure and governance for research partnerships.

SUPPORT: Substance Use and Psychedelics: Peer Opportunities in Research and Treatment Andrew Gaddis, MD, MHS, Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Academic Principal Investigator Anne Langley, JD, MPH, Charm City Care Connection, Community Principal Investigator Carl Latkin, PhD, Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Academic Co-investigator Frederick Barrett, PhD, Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Academic Co-investigator Albert Garcia-Romeu, PhD, Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Academic Co-investigator Denis Antoine, MD, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Academic Co-investigator This project aims to gather insights from Certified Peer Recovery Specialists (CPRS) about psychedelic therapy in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment through focus groups. The research specifically examines CPRS perspectives on using treatments like ketamine and psilocybin for people with co-occurring SUDs and major depressive disorder (MDD). Through surveys and discussions, the study will assess knowledge of psychedelic therapy’s benefits and risks, while exploring ways to improve research design for vulnerable populations. The project also aims to evaluate attitudes toward involving CPRS in research design and implementation, potentially creating new professional opportunities. The ultimate goal is to address the underrepresentation of certain populations in psychedelic therapy while leveraging the expertise of peer recovery specialists to enhance treatment approaches. The study’s two specific aims are to: Conduct semi-structured qualitative interviews and focus groups with CPRS and researchers at the CPCR, in order to create opportunities for meaningful bidirectional knowledge-sharing. Conduct additional peer-lead focus groups to assess perceived treatment credibility (and expectancies around wellness and recovery) for not only psilocybin in the treatment of MDD and SUDs, but also other recently approved psychedelic-adjacent therapies for MDD and SUDs (such as Ketamine), as they compare to credibility and expectancy of longstanding treatments.

Preventive Health Care Services for Individuals with Autism in Asian American Communities  Ye Qiao, PhD, Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Academic Principal Investigator Jia Wang, MS, BCBA, Chinese American Parents of Children with Autism, Community Principal Investigator Preventive health care services are essential for autistic individuals due to the frequent co-occurrence of health and psychiatric conditions, as well as increased early mortality. This study aims to investigate disparities in preventive healthcare services among Asian Americans with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Through a partnership between Johns Hopkins University and the Chinese American Parents of Children with Autism (CAPCA), the research will establish a collaborative network to understand healthcare service gaps in this community. They will collect biological, lifestyle, behavioral, environmental, and sociocultural factors that could also contribute the health disparities. This partnership will also aim to address the unique challenges faced by Asian American families and foster community-driven solutions for improving autism care and services. The project addresses the challenges of cultural stigma and language barriers while aiming to promote equitable healthcare access and will serve as preliminary data for future funding applications. The study has the following specific aims: Establish an academic/community partnership infrastructure between Johns Hopkins University and the Asian American community to conduct community-driven research addressing preventive health disparities among Asian Americans with disabilities. Design and implement a preventative health questionnaire to the Chinese American Parents of Children with Autism community and compare results with those without ASD.

Health Promotion, Research, Leadership and Practice Fellowship Collaborative (HPRC)  Rebkha Atnafou, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Academic Principal Investigator Wesley Watkins, MEd, Nolitha Project, Community Principal Investigator Ray Winbush, PhD, Center for Urban Research, Morgan State University, Academic Co-Investigator Kyla Liggett-Creel, PhD, MSW, University of Maryland School of Social Work, Academic Co-Investigator The Health Promotion, Research, Leadership, and Practice Fellowship Collaborative (HRPC) aims to address Baltimore’s significant public health challenges by creating a partnership between academic institutions, medical centers, and community organizations. The initiative focuses on building a structured collaborative network to bridge the gap between world-class healthcare institutions and community health needs. Through a five-aim approach, the project will establish a collaborative structure, assess partner capabilities, develop governance protocols, identify community health priorities, and implement a bi-directional training program. The ultimate goal is to create a cohesive, community-engaged research (CEnR) ecosystem that can effectively address Baltimore’s urgent health issues, particularly in areas where the city’s health metrics significantly lag behind state and national averages. The study will focus on the following aims: Establish a structured, multidisciplinary collaborative with a clear mission and shared goals. Assess the strengths and capabilities of each partner to leverage their contributions effectively in addressing identified community health priorities. Develop a governance and operational structure that formalizes partnership roles, decision-making processes, and communication protocols. Engage the community to identify priority health concerns that can be addressed collectively by the collaborative. Build capacity for research and health leadership among partners through a structured, bi-directional training program.

Exploring Trust in Research, Institutions, and Health Information Among Underserved Communities in Baltimore City: A Community-Engaged Research (CEnR) Approach Across Generations with an Emphasis on Youth  Emily Kumpf, MPH, Department of Health Policy & Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Academic Principal Investigator Patricia Barger, MBA, Baltimore CONNECT Inc., Community Principal Investigator Albert W. Wu, MD, MPH, Department of Health Policy & Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Academic Co-Investigator Joann Bodurtha, MD,MPH, Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Academic Co-Investigator Janice Gentry, MS, Baltimore CONNECT Inc., Community Co-Investigator Chevelle Bash, CHW, Baltimore CONNECT Inc., Community Co-Investigator Elyce Bloomfield, CHW,Baltimore CONNECT Inc., Community Co-Investigator This research project aims to explore trust in research, institutions, and health information among youth and adults in underserved communities in Baltimore City, in collaboration with Baltimore CONNECT, a network of community-based organizations. The study will conduct focus groups across different age groups to understand how trust is defined, identify barriers and facilitators to building trust, and explore attitudes toward community engaged research and health information. The research findings will be used to establish a Youth Advisory Board (YAB) for Baltimore CONNECT, incorporating insights from the focus groups and existing YAB toolkit. The project emphasizes youth voices and aims to create sustainable change in community health engagement through education, training, and active participation in community health initiatives. The study will focus on two specific aims: Study how youth and adults in Baltimore City understand and build trust in research, institutions, and health information through focus groups across different age groups. Create a Youth Advisory Board for Baltimore CONNECT using insights from the focus groups to guide future activities and improve youth engagement in community health initiatives.

Incorporating the Patient Voice in Clinical Trials Research: Storytelling as a Powerful Tool for Patient Engagement  Lily R. Mundy, MD, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Academic Principal Investigator Laura Wexler, MS, The Stoop Storytelling Series, Community Principal Investigator Christina A. Stennett, PhD, MPH, Department of Orthopaedics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Academic Co-Investigator Matthew J. Heron, MD Candidate, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Academic Co-Investigator Disparities in healthcare outcomes have been repeatedly identified in orthopedic trauma surgery, consistent with many other areas of healthcare. The project addresses healthcare mistrust, lack of knowledge, and misinformation by using peer-to-peer education through patient stories. Storytelling aims to improve patient education and reduce disparities by eliminating the cultural barriers and implicit and explicit biases that are present in traditional patient encounters, thereby empowering patients to become more active participants in medical-related decision making. This pilot project aims to explore storytelling as a tool to improve diverse patient representation in orthopaedic trauma clinical trials. If successful, this pilot will serve as foundation for a larger study on using storytelling to reduce disparities in clinical trial enrollment. The study’s specific aims are to: Train a diverse sample of orthopaedic trauma patients in master storytelling and video-record their stories. Patients (n=8) will undergo storytelling training. This includes exercises to identify key aspects of their experiences and group and individual coaching in storytelling. The stories will then be video recorded. Assess preliminary relevance, acceptability, and efficacy of the video-recorded stories. Patients who have participated in orthopaedic trauma-related research (n=10), and patients who have experienced orthopaedic trauma but not participated in research (n=10) will be shown the videos to assess preliminary relevance, acceptability, and efficacy in influencing preparedness for future interactions with orthopaedic trauma clinicians.