UMD PRC Receives National Excellence Award

The University of Maryland Prevention Research Center (UMD-PRC) was recently selected to receive one of 11 awards for best-practices in community-based participatory research (CBPR) from the National Community Committee, which is associated with the Prevention Research Centers funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are currently 37 PRCs. The purpose of the award was to recognize and stimulate excellence in CBPR within the diverse group of CDC Prevention Research Centers across the country.

Mr. Chikezie Maduka, Dr. Bradley Boekeloo and Dr. Suzanne Randolph.

The UMD-PRC was established with CDC funding in 2009 at the University of Maryland School of Public Health in College Park, Md. Its mission is to reduce health disparities in Maryland along the national capital border, an area in Prince George’s County, Maryland between the “National Capital Beltway,” the District of Columbia and Montgomery County, Md.  This area is specifically targeted for community health improvement as much of this Prince George’s County national capital border area is medically underserved. Contrasts between this area and surrounding areas are pronounced in regard to demographics, health services, and health status. This Prince George’s County national capital border area suffers from remarkably high rates of primary Syphilis, HIV, stroke, diabetes, low birth weight, and other health problems.

The SPH happens to be located in Prince George’s County at the nexus of the contrasting jurisdictions. The UMD-PRC infrastructure builds on an existing collaborative with the City of Seat Pleasant in Prince George’s County, the Prince George’s County Health Department and the SPH to further engage with organizations within and across the many area borders. It links needs with resources and addresses issues that exacerbate disenfranchisement. The ultimate goals of the UMD-PRC are to make significant strides toward increasing community capacity, eliminating health disparities in Maryland along the national capital border, and advancing Community-Based Participatory Research.

Bradley Boekeloo, Ph.D., M.Sc., is the principal investigator and director of the UMD-PRC. The award application was coordinated by Mr. Chikezie Maduka, Dr. Suzanne Randolph, Ms. Denise Bellows, and Mr. Brian Gilchrist.  Mr. Maduka and Dr. Randolph are two area residents and UMD-PRC’s representatives to the NCC and members of the UMD-PRC Community Advisory Committee; and Ms. Bellows and Mr. Gilchrist are graduate research associates in the UMD-PRC.  Dr. Boekeloo, Mr. Maduka and Dr. Randolph accepted the award on April 12, 2011, on behalf of the entire UMD-PRC team in Atlanta, Georgia at the annual CDC Prevention Research Center meeting.

For more information contact umdprc@umd.edu.