180+ networks across 21 NJ counties
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CORE OVERVIEW
NJACTS draws leading academic, industry and community groups together to understand and address the health needs of New Jersey. Central to this is engagement with our community to ensure that our efforts respond to their priorities. Our goal is to conduct research with the New Jersey community, in the community and for the community, and yet, have impact beyond our state’s boundaries.
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Empowering Community-Based Research
Through Cultural and Linguistic Collaboration
- Navigating interpreter-mediated encounters
- Effective translation for research
- Understanding cultural nuances in literacy, trust, and belonging
Through collaboration across disciplines and leveraging expertise within and beyond Rutgers, CrEER ensures that research is inclusive, culturally relevant, and impactful both locally and globally.
👉 Discover how CrEER is shaping the future of community-based research here.
Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ATCS) Membership for Community Members
Did you know that community members are eligible to become members of ACTS through their affiliation with NJ ACTS?
Community members are able to access ACTS’ member benefits, including:
- Discounted registration to the annual Translational Science meeting
- Opportunities to participate in Special Interest Groups and Committees
- Access to the community platform website and more!
Resource for Investigators – CTSA Compendium of D&I Catalogs
Dissemination and implementation (D&I) research focuses on translating evidence-based interventions into real-world settings to improve health outcomes in the broader community.
An open-source CTSA Compendium of D&I Catalogs has been developed by the Clinical & Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program’s “Advancing Dissemination and Implementation Sciences in CTSAs” working group to support investigators at any stage of their D&I skill-building journey. It provides a curated list of resource catalogs relevant to the conduct of D&I science. The materials include frameworks/theories/models, methods/measures, funding resources, practice resources, training, and health equity resources. Click here to learn more.
CIRTification – A New Alternative to CITI for Community Partners
The rollout of CIRTification at Rutgers has begun. The CIRTification program provides research ethics training alternative for individuals in community organizations, with limited understanding of conducting human research and protecting potential research participants. This option provides training that focuses on establishing the skills in community partners to conduct human subject research effectively and safely in their communities.
To learn more about the program at Rutgers, please visit this link CIRTification.
NJ ACTS COMMUNITY SCIENTIST PROGRAM
This program is designed to provide researchers with rapid feedback from expert community members to ensure their research projects are culturally appropriate and relevant to the community.
PARTICIPATE IN OUR NEXT COHORT!
For more information, please contact njactscommunity@rwjms.rutgers.edu
NJ HEROES TOO
Through the ongoing New Jersey Healthcare Essential Worker Outreach and Education Study – Testing Overlooked Occupations (NJ HEROES TOO), we have gained a wealth of data on COVID-19’s effects, gleaned valuable learnings on attitudes toward testing and vaccines, and improved COVID-19 awareness in underserved communities.
Community Blog
Public Health Expert on Social Media’s Impact on Teens.
As the United States government considers major policy decisions regarding social media, including a potential forced sale of TikTok and new legislation to protect young users, the comprehensiveness of research informing these decisions faces scrutiny. A 2024 report...
On the Front Lines of Suicide Prevention Stand Family and Friends.
New Jersey’s suicide prevention hotline clinician says knowing the warning signs and what to say could save lives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that suicide was the 11th leading cause of death overall in the United States, with more...
Professors Weigh in on the Obesity Breakthrough of Ozempic and Similar Drugs.
GLP-1 agonists – a class of medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy that can help manage Type 2 diabetes and obesity – have been making headlines for their effectiveness in weight loss. Keerthana Kesavarapu and Kunal Shah, two professors from the Rutgers Robert Wood...
Rutgers Recruiting Young Adult Participants to Study Cigarillo Marketing and Smoking Behaviors.
Rutgers Health researchers are recruiting participants for a study examining cigarillo perceptions and use in young adults. These products come in brands like Swisher Sweets, Black & Mild, White Owl, and Dutch Masters. The tobacco industry often targets African...
Decoding Early Lyme Disease.
A Rutgers Health physician-scientist publishes guidance for primary care doctors diagnosing and treating early Lyme disease, a bacterial infection. Every year in the United States, an estimated 476,000 people are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease. The estimate...
How Future Dentists Are Saving Smiles Around the World.
On her left wrist, Hannah Ciullo carries a daily reminder of courage. The ocean-blue bracelet she wears was made by a little girl she treated on the school’s annual mission trip to the Dominican Republic. “Sometimes I get feelings like, ‘I can't do this. This is too...