The Radical Welcome Engagement Restoration Model and Assessment Tool for Community-Engaged Partnerships.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Equity Research
• Community-Based Participatory Research

Background:

• Systemic inequities in historically White institutions negatively impact health outcomes for individuals with addiction, houselessness, or incarceration histories.
• Exclusion of marginalized communities' voices in decision-making exacerbates health disparities.
• Community-based participatory research (CBPR) offers a pathway to address health inequities, but equitable engagement is often hindered by power and resource disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the application of the Radical Welcome Engagement Restoration Model (RWERM) in facilitating full partner engagement within a CBPR partnership.
• To introduce a framework and instrument for assessing and overcoming challenges to engagement in CBPR.

Main Methods:

• A community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership, the Health Equity Activation Research Team, was formed, including clinicians, researchers, and individuals with lived experiences.
• Data collection involved participatory ethnography, focus groups, and individual interviews.
• Analysis utilized deductive coding through iterative meaning-making processes involving all partners.

Main Results:

• The study identified six key phases of the RWERM: passionate invitation, radical welcome, authentic sense of belonging, co-creation of roles, prioritization of issues, and individual and collective action.
• A guide for assessing progression through these phases was developed.
• A 32-item instrument was created to help CBPR partners anticipate and address engagement challenges.

Conclusions:

• The RWERM provides a structured approach to enhance equitable engagement in CBPR partnerships.
• Addressing power and resource imbalances is crucial for the success of CBPR initiatives.
• The developed framework and instrument can support the implementation of inclusive and effective CBPR.