Community perspective analysis: Informing the design of a community-academic research readiness protocol

Kendra Juliette; Noelle Gorka; Athena S McKay; Donald Vereen Jr; Bettina Campbell; Sarah Bailey; Luther Evans; Vaishali Nambiar; Elias Samuels; Patricia Piechowski; Ella Greene-Moton; Arlene Sparks; E Hill De Loney; DeWaun Robinson; Kent D Key; Susan J Woolford

doi:10.1017/cts.2025.83

Community perspective analysis: Informing the design of a community-academic research readiness protocol

J Clin Transl Sci. 2025 Apr 28;9(1):e124. doi: 10.1017/cts.2025.83. eCollection 2025.

Authors

Kendra Juliette¹, Noelle Gorka¹, Athena S McKay^{2

3}, Donald Vereen Jr^{2

4}, Bettina Campbell^{3

5}, Sarah Bailey^{3

6}, Luther Evans^{3

7}, Vaishali Nambiar¹, Elias Samuels², Patricia Piechowski², Ella Greene-Moton³, Arlene Sparks^{3

8}, E Hill De Loney^{3

9}, DeWaun Robinson^{3

10}, Kent D Key^{3

11}, Susan J Woolford^{2

12}

Affiliations

¹ University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
² Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
³ Community Based Organization Partners, Flint, MI, USA.
⁴ University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
⁵ YOUR Center, Flint, MI, USA.
⁶ Bridges into the Future, Flint, MI, USA.
⁷ Anders & Associates, Flint, MI, USA.
⁸ Flint Development Center, Flint, MI, USA.
⁹ Flint Health Awareness Center, Flint, MI, USA.
¹⁰ Artistic Visions Enterprise, Flint, MI, USA.
¹¹ Michigan State University Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health, College of Human Medicine, Flint, MI, USA.
¹² University of Michigan Department Pediatrics, Susan B, Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.

Abstract

Introduction: Community-engaged partnerships (community/academia/government) can play a role in developing effective protocols that address public health crises. Systemic racism, prioritization of money over humanity, and the repression of the local democratic processes through the State of Michigan Emergency Manager Law (Order of Act 439) all played a role in the Flint Water Crisis. Despite decades of collaboration between Flint-based community organizations and academic institutions, ways to navigate such crises and conduct relevant research were ineffective.

Methods: The Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research Community Engagement program at the University of Michigan and Flint's Community Based Organization Partners co-developed the Research Readiness and Partnership Protocol (R2P2) to provide community-engaged recommendations that inform a rapid research response to public health emergencies. The R2P2 Workgroup conducted an extensive literature review and key interviews to inform protocol development.

Results: This manuscript provides an overview of the Workgroup's methods, key interview findings, and the main principles identified. Detailed recommendations and key elements to address prior to and during a crisis will be presented including methods for: establishing and maintaining trust, ensuring transparency, supporting clear communication, establishing a "front door" to academic institutions including a means to "sound the alarm," addressing academic incentives, achieving equitable resource sharing, and addressing systemic racism.

Conclusion: This manuscript of community perspectives provides essential elements to develop meaningful community-academic research partnerships to address public health crises impacting communities, particularly communities of color. Furthermore, this work highlights an opportunity for greater acknowledgment and utilization of community-based participatory research (CBPR) by academic institutions.

Keywords: COVID-19; Community engagement; Flint community; bi-directional communications; equity; man-made disaster; racial justice; translational science.