75 - “Empowering Women with Children: A Community-Driven Approach to Mental Health through CBPR”

Abstract Information: In this session, we emphasize the critical synergy between research evaluators and community-based organizations in addressing complex health challenges, particularly those disproportionately affecting women with children. Through a pilot program, the collaborative efforts between the Research and Evaluation Team of the Center for Health Research Transformation (CHRT) and a local community organization exemplify a deep dive into the realm of community-based participatory research (CBPR) and its indispensable role in tackling mental and behavioral health issues within this demographic. CBPR is a collaborative research approach involving partnerships between researchers and community stakeholders throughout the research process. As dedicated research evaluators, we recognize that active engagement with community members throughout all program development and implementation phases is necessary to validate interventions' relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability. By leveraging women's collective wisdom and insights, we can tailor the pilot approach to comprehensively address the unique needs of women and children with cultural sensitivity and authenticity. This session will explore how incorporating CBPR approaches to evaluation research can spark transformative change within communities. CBPR methodology was applied in our project through a mixed methods approach which included pre-and post-test surveys, session evaluations, and focus group interviews. We employed these methods to ensure participants' voices were central, fostering a sense of ownership of health & wellness and empowering participants. By embracing CBPR principles, we can cultivate healthier, more resilient communities with holistic well-being.