Lessons Learned From Using an Academic-Community Partnership to Evaluate a DEI Initiative in Public Mental Health...

Area of Science:

• Community-engaged research
• Public mental health
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Background:

• Advancing DEI initiatives in community organizations requires understanding effective research approaches.
• Community-engaged research offers a framework for evaluating DEI in practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the role of academic-community partnerships in DEI initiatives.
• To describe lessons learned from a DEI evaluation of a public mental health program.

Main Methods:

• Academic-community partnership.
• Participatory DEI evaluation of an evidence-based program.
• Qualitative analysis of partnership experiences.

Main Results:

• Successful partnerships prioritize community-initiated research and mutual learning.
• Valuing diverse perspectives and finding shared goals are crucial.
• Effective problem-solving and feedback loops foster progress.

Conclusions:

• Collaborative research strengthens DEI initiatives in community settings.
• Lessons learned can guide future DEI efforts in mental health services.
• Partnership elements are transferable to other community-focused evaluations.