Community Resilience Program for Community Violence

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

Overseen by Elizabeth Miller, MD, PhD

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Recruiting

Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh

Disqualifiers: Under 13, Outside neighborhoods

No Placebo Group

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a program where community members meet to discuss and plan ways to improve their neighborhood, focusing on safety and well-being for children and teens. The goal is to make people feel more connected and capable of reducing violence. The study involves neighborhoods in Pittsburgh and includes both youth and adults.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Community Resiliency Collective Efficacy Intervention (CRCEI) for community violence?

Research on similar community resilience programs, like the Communities Advancing Resilience Toolkit (CART), shows that bringing community members together to address local issues can improve community participation, communication, and cooperation. These elements are crucial for building resilience and could be beneficial in addressing community violence. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the Community Resilience Program for Community Violence safe for participants?

The available research does not provide specific safety data for the Community Resilience Program for Community Violence or its related interventions. However, these programs focus on community engagement and resilience-building, which generally do not pose direct safety risks to participants. ^{3 6 7 8 9}

How is the Community Resiliency Collective Efficacy Intervention (CRCEI) treatment different from other treatments for community violence?

The Community Resiliency Collective Efficacy Intervention (CRCEI) is unique because it focuses on building community resilience by engaging local stakeholders in a collaborative process to address community issues, unlike traditional treatments that may focus on individual therapy or law enforcement. This approach emphasizes community participation, resource sharing, and collective problem-solving to enhance the community's ability to adapt and thrive in the face of violence. ^{1 3 8 10 11}

Research Team

Elizabeth Miller, MD, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Pittsburgh

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for youth (13 years and older) and adults of all genders who live in specific neighborhoods chosen for the study. It's not open to anyone younger than 13 or those living outside these neighborhoods.

Inclusion Criteria

Reside in neighborhoods selected to participate in the study

I am 13 years old or older.

I am 18 years old or older.

Exclusion Criteria

Individuals residing outside of participating neighborhoods

I am younger than 13 years old.

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Community Resiliency Collective Efficacy Intervention (CRCEI) to engage community members in dialogue on thriving, community leadership, and organizing for social change

9 sessions

9 sessions (in-person)

Control

Comparison neighborhoods receive health education sessions as a control intervention

9 sessions

9 sessions (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in collective efficacy, neighborhood social norms, and community violence

12 months

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Community Resiliency Collective Efficacy Intervention (CRCEI) (Behavioral Intervention)
• Health Education Sessions (Behavioral Intervention)

Trial Overview The study tests a community intervention called CRCEI aimed at increasing resilience and reducing violence, compared with standard health education sessions. Participants are grouped by neighborhood and randomly assigned to one of the interventions.

Participant Groups

Group I: Community Resiliency Collective Efficacy Intervention (CRCEI) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Community Resiliency Collective Efficacy Intervention (CRCEI) to engage community members in dialogue on thriving, community leadership, and organizing for social change (9 sessions).

Group II: Health Education Sessions Active Control 1 Intervention

Comparison neighborhoods will receive health education sessions as a control intervention. (9 sessions)

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Pittsburgh

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,820

Recruited

16,360,000+

David Apelian

University of Pittsburgh

Chief Executive Officer since 2019

PhD in Molecular Biology from Rutgers University, MD from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, MBA from Quinnipiac University

Pamela D. Garzone

University of Pittsburgh

Chief Medical Officer

PhD in Clinical Science from the University of Pittsburgh

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Collaborator

Trials

902

Recruited

25,020,000+

Dr. Debra Houry

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Chief Medical Officer

MD, MPH

Dr. Susan Monarez

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Chief Executive Officer

PhD

Findings from Research

The Communities Advancing Resilience Toolkit (CART) is an evidence-based intervention designed to enhance community resilience by engaging stakeholders in a structured process of assessment, feedback, planning, and action.

CART focuses on four key domains—connection and caring, resources, transformative potential, and disaster management—promoting community participation and collaboration to effectively address local needs and improve adaptation to mass casualty incidents.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Communities Advancing Resilience Toolkit (CART): an intervention to build community resilience to disasters. Pfefferbaum, RL., Pfefferbaum, B., Van Horn, RL., et al.[2022]

A participatory action approach in five Canadian communities led to improved services for sexual assault survivors, addressing issues like staff shortages and negative responses to disclosure, which are common in rural areas.

The Enhanced Emergency Sexual Assault Services (EESAS) education program significantly increased knowledge and collaboration among service providers, resulting in better service quality and privacy for clients, with positive changes sustained for at least 6 months.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Collaboration with Rural and Remote Communities to Improve Sexual Assault Services. Carter-Snell, C., Jakubec, S., Hagen, B.[2021]

The COPEWELL model effectively enhances understanding of community resilience by predicting disaster-specific functioning and engaging partners to identify strategies for strengthening resilience, as demonstrated through a collaborative work group in New York City.

Using COPEWELL, the work group was able to prioritize vulnerable neighborhoods and identify data gaps, leading to innovative interventions that align emergency preparedness with community development and public health initiatives.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Applying an Innovative Model of Disaster Resilience at the Neighborhood Level : The COPEWELL New York City Experience. Slemp, CC., Sisco, S., Jean, MC., et al.[2021]

A systematic review of 1880 records identified only 8 studies focused on community-based interventions that enhance resilience in adults after disasters, indicating a significant gap in research in this area.

The findings suggest that while information provision alone may not be effective, strategies that promote social interactions and community competence show promise in improving health outcomes after disasters.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Resilience-rhetoric to reality: a systematic review of intervention studies after disasters. van Kessel, G., MacDougall, C., Gibbs, L.[2018]

The community-based learning collaborative (CBLC) model, developed as part of Project BEST, effectively promotes the implementation of trauma-focused practices among 1,190 participants across 13 collaborative groups, highlighting its potential for sustainable trauma-informed care.

Data from the third phase of Project BEST showed significant increases in the use of trauma-focused practices and positive feedback on the utility of the CBLC components, indicating that this model is both feasible and effective in enhancing trauma treatment delivery.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Statewide implementation of child trauma-focused practices using the community-based learning collaborative model. Hanson, RF., Saunders, BE., Ralston, E., et al.[2020]

This study is exploring a community-centered approach to reduce violence in a major US city using the ACE|R framework, which focuses on resilience and community organizing, aiming to improve both violence-related and health outcomes.

The research will assess the effectiveness of these interventions by collecting quantitative data on violence incidents and hospital visits, while also evaluating the implementation process through community engagement and training, highlighting the importance of community involvement in violence prevention strategies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Resilience-Informed Community Violence Prevention and Community Organizing Strategies for Implementation: Protocol for a Hybrid Type 1 Implementation-Effectiveness Trial. Blackburn, NA., Ramos, S., Dorsainvil, M., et al.[2023]

The research highlights the real safety challenges faced in a low-income African American neighborhood in Chicago while working on a project to improve Internet access for health information.

Key lessons learned include the importance of leveraging community strengths and recognizing personal biases to effectively address safety concerns during community interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Realities and myths of safety issues for community researchers working in a marginalized African American community. Suarez-Balcazar, Y., Kinney, L.[2022]

Community resilience (CR) can be effectively developed through community-partnered participatory research, which helps stakeholders create action plans and toolkits that address local needs and vulnerabilities.

Stakeholders emphasized the importance of community engagement and policy support in implementing CR programs, identifying barriers like trust in government and strategies to enhance community preparedness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Applying community engagement to disaster planning: developing the vision and design for the Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience initiative. Wells, KB., Tang, J., Lizaola, E., et al.[2021]

The study highlights a community-driven approach in Pottstown, PA, aimed at creating a trauma-informed environment to address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) over a two-year period, involving 14 community sectors.

Initial results indicate that the community is on track to enhance inter-agency collaboration and support systems for trauma-informed practices, which could promote healing and resilience among affected individuals.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Community's Response to Adverse Childhood Experiences: Building a Resilient, Trauma-Informed Community. Matlin, SL., Champine, RB., Strambler, MJ., et al.[2023]

The study developed a Community Resilience (CR) model that highlights how policies in housing, education, law enforcement, and criminal justice can negatively impact community health by perpetuating structural racism.

The CR model emphasizes that community resilience is influenced by demographic factors and historical patterns of discrimination, suggesting that addressing these inequities is crucial for improving population health outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community Resilience: A Dynamic Model for Public Health 3.0. Ellis, W., Dietz, WH., Chen, KD.[2022]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Communities Advancing Resilience Toolkit (CART): an intervention to build community resilience to disasters. [2022]

2. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Collaboration with Rural and Remote Communities to Improve Sexual Assault Services. [2021]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Applying an Innovative Model of Disaster Resilience at the Neighborhood Level : The COPEWELL New York City Experience. [2021]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Resilience-rhetoric to reality: a systematic review of intervention studies after disasters. [2018]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Statewide implementation of child trauma-focused practices using the community-based learning collaborative model. [2020]

6. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Resilience-Informed Community Violence Prevention and Community Organizing Strategies for Implementation: Protocol for a Hybrid Type 1 Implementation-Effectiveness Trial. [2023]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Realities and myths of safety issues for community researchers working in a marginalized African American community. [2022]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Applying community engagement to disaster planning: developing the vision and design for the Los Angeles County Community Disaster Resilience initiative. [2021]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Community's Response to Adverse Childhood Experiences: Building a Resilient, Trauma-Informed Community. [2023]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Building resilient communities: A facilitated discussion. [2018]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community Resilience: A Dynamic Model for Public Health 3.0. [2022]