The Collaborative for Community Engagement and Research (CCER) is a partnership among all three Boston-area Clinical and Translational Science groups, Boston University (Richard Kalish, MD, MPH, MS & Christopher Shannahan, MD, MPH), Harvard University (Alexa T. McCray, PhD & Karen Hacker, MD, MPH), and Tufts University (Laurel Leslie, MD, MPH & Randi Triant, MFA).

Together, we strive to encourage collaboration among our institutions and the communities we serve. The members of the CCER also work together to enhance, expand, and evaluate this website, Community Connect to Research.

• Partnerships: among all three Boston-area Clinical and Translational Science groups.
• Education: providing health resources to the community.
• Dialogue: engaging community organizations in the clinical research process.

One of our other partners is the health advocacy organization Health Care for All (HCFA). HCFA seeks to create a consumer-centered health care system. They focus on providing comprehensive, affordable, accessible, culturally competent, high quality care and consumer education for everyone, especially the most vulnerable. They do this through: public policy, advocacy, education and service to consumers in Massachusetts.

HCFA works with us to help inform the community of the rich resources that are available in Community Connect to Research. They also provide feedback on Community Connect to Research through a variety of methods using their extensive network of more than 2,000 coalition members. Their feedback helps us improve our website.

Have your questions about healthcare in Massachusetts answered online or call the HCFA free Consumer Health HelpLine: 800-272-4232

With the Institute for Community Health (Karen Hacker, MD, MPH) of the Cambridge Health Alliance, we strive to increase communication about clinical research. Our current initiative, a request for proposals from community health centers in Massachusetts, calls for creative ways in which the community can be involved in addressing and improving communication about health topics and clinical research. If you are interested in learning more, please contact info@connecttoresearch.org.