# Community Outreach and Engagement Core

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · 2021 · $193,060

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY – Community Outreach and Engagement Core
The aims of the UK Center for Appalachian Research in Environmental Sciences (UK-CARES) Community
Outreach and Engagement Core (COEC) are to: 1) Increase awareness and knowledge among community
partners about the environmental health research being conducted at the Center across the entire spectrum
from basic science to community and population health research; 2) Increase community and stakeholder
participation in community-engaged research to identify and communicate environmental concerns to UK-
CARES investigators; and 3) Increase enrollment in citizen and academic training in science communication to
leverage community-academic environmental health science partnerships. In Aim 1, we use multi-modal
outreach strategies (e.g., community events, media advocacy, social media, written materials/website) that
engage community partners in developing dissemination plans and culturally appropriate outreach and
messaging approaches. Aim 2 uses multi-directional channels through which researchers can listen to the
needs and concerns of local residents and community stakeholder organizations. Strategies include
conducting focus groups with community health coalitions, environmental activists, work groups, ad hoc
community groups, and healthcare entities. In Aim 3, we adapt, evaluate, and integrate science
communication workshops into our career development activities and ensure effective science communication
with community stakeholders, and recognize excellence in community engagement. UK-CARES COEC is
uniquely positioned to lead this effort due to our longstanding community-engaged research partnerships with
citizens and community stakeholder organizations in three contiguous Area Development Districts located in
southeastern Kentucky: Big Sandy, Kentucky River, and Cumberland Valley. Community members identify air
and water quality impacts due to mining and fracking as critical concerns. We partner with five major
community stakeholder organizations (Appalachian Citizens Law Center, Appalachian Voices, Area Health
Education Centers, Center for Rural Strategies, and Headwaters, Inc.) and five community residents to advise
the COEC. The COEC values the complex, heterogeneous nature of the communities of Appalachian
Kentucky and their rich heritage, self-reliance, and pride of place. The COEC is tightly integrated into the
organizational structure of UK-CARES with direct impact on community-informed Center decision making. The
long-term goal is to create a strong, sustained community-academic partnership to support meaningful
community engagement and environmental health literacy, leveraging these community perspectives to
facilitate new understandings of environmental factors in disease initiation, progression, outcomes, and
community impacts.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10135071
- **Project number:** 5P30ES026529-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
- **Principal Investigator:** Ellen J Hahn
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $193,060
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-05-01 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10135071

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10135071, Community Outreach and Engagement Core (5P30ES026529-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10135071. Licensed CC0.

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