At the Heart of the Matter exists to engage HBCU researchers, patients, and advocacy organizations in cardiovascular research, intersection with COVID-19, Black women’s health, and mental health. (from ideation to dissemination and implementation) and engagement of patient-centered outcome research (PCOR). IN the fall of 2021 CCPH and partners brought to its virtual table an HBCU community of students, clinicians, researchers, and educators with patients, caregivers, and African-American community organizations for a series of bi-weekly discussions on CVD and its intersection with COVID-19, Black women’s health, and mental health.

This WEBINAR SERIES culminated with a VIRTUAL TOWN HALL where participants, guided by patient-centered outcome research processes, (PCOR) worked together to develop a culturally responsive framework for cardiovascular research and patient engagement.

Duke University in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Community-Campus Partnerships for Health is serving as the Coordination and Data Collection Center (CDCC) for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics-Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) program.

The goal of the program is to improve access to and uptake of diagnostic COVID-19 testing in underserved, COVID-19 medically, geographically, and socially vulnerable populations (referred to as underserved and vulnerable elsewhere in this RFA).

The CDCC is pleased to solicit applications for its Community Collaboration Mini-Grant Program. The CDCC Community Collaboration Mini-Grant Program seeks to support community partners to help advance capacity, training, support, and community experience with COVID-19 testing initiatives.