Research Community Engagement Program
Building Community Engagement in Rural Nebraska and Iowa
The Research Community Engagement Program aims to advance scientific research by increasing participation in research studies and fostering long-term, collaborative relationships between Boys Town National Research Hospital and the communities it serves. The program is committed to engaging populations that have been less involved in research by building trust, reducing barriers to participation, and ensuring that research questions and methods reflect community priorities. Through sustained partnerships with families, educators, healthcare providers, and local organizations, the program promotes research that is both scientifically rigorous and grounded in real-world experience. This dual focus, expanding study participation and deepening community collaboration, enhances the relevance, quality, and societal impact of research outcomes.
Community Screenings and Educational Events
Our community screening and educational events are designed to facilitate enrollment of families, particularly those with young and school-aged children, into Boys Town Hospital’s research volunteer database (RAD) while increasing community awareness of current and future research opportunities.
The goal of these events is to:
- Introduce and educate families on the importance of participation in research
- Provide free developmental screenings in a welcoming, family-centered environment
We take a dual-focused approach supporting the advancement of research and the development of long-term, collaborative partnerships with community organizations and lasting relationships with community members.
Current Initiatives
We are currently focused on providing community health resources through hearing and language screenings, educational information about research, and audiological and speech-language referrals.
A few examples of our offerings are:
- Hearing and language screenings at community health fairs
- Mobile research resources to local and rural communities with the Boys Town Research Vehicle
- Preschool and school-aged screenings through our mobile research resources at local and rural after school program sites and public libraries
- Hearing and language screenings at Omaha Public Libraries Story Time
We strive to foster trust, transparency, and long-term collaboration with community organizations.
Community Engagement Success
Our program has provided screenings locally and nationally.
Our recent visits include:
- Phoenix, AZ
- Denver, CO
- Tallahassee, FL
- Orlando, FL
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Glenwood, IA
- Charlotte, NC
- Grand Island, NE
- Omaha, NE
- Scottsbluff, NE
- Sioux Falls, SD
Community Connections
Our community connections allow us to collaborate with local organizations, schools and families to enroll community members into research studies and integrate community-informed perspectives into the research process.
Our community partners and research participants help us ensure that:
- Study design and implementation is informed by community feedback, and efforts are made to ensure that study findings are communicated back to the communities involved.
- We strengthen the relevance and impact of research and support the development of trust-based relationships that are essential for long-term collaboration.
Contact Us
If you are interested in partnering with the community engagement team to bring research to your community, please email Trinity Williams at trinity.williams@boystown.org.