Community Networks Program (CNP) Centers
What is a CNP Center?
CNP Centers represent the next generation of CRCHD's Community Networks Program (CNP) by establishing 23 Community Networks Program National and Regional Centers for Reducing Cancer Health Disparities. These centers—funded for five years—emphasize high quality intervention research involving controlled and rigorous studies aimed at reducing cancer health disparities.
CNP Centers focus on eliminating disparities in specific target communities—identified by their shared interests, needs, and values—using a Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach. By working in partnership with and through these communities, CNP Centers are able to begin addressing their cancer prevention and control needs, engage diverse stakeholders (community members, health care delivery teams, decision makers), and combine research with actions aimed at improving health outcomes and reducing specific cancer health disparities. CNP Centers also have a strong training component to their programming, with new researchers—particularly those from under-represented backgrounds—receiving mentorship and guidance in developing their own, independent CBPR projects.
Physically, the CNP Center is headquartered at the academic institution. This Headquarters site coordinates the work of additional research, community outreach and training sites. All the different sites must be located in different geographic areas—either in a different city, county/parish, state, or tribal jurisdiction. A hallmark of the CNP Center is the community's involvement in all phases of the Center's main research studies.
What are the main goals of CNP Centers?
CNP Centers have three main goals:
- Increase the knowledge, access, and use of prevention measures (like smoking cessation and mammography) and treatment options (like advanced chemotherapy) in order to reduce cancer disparities in target populations;
- Perform CBPR interventions examining the best ways to promote prevention and treatment;
- Train qualified health disparities researchers in the CBPR approach and promote their career development.
How are CNP Centers related to CNP?
CNP Centers are an expansion of the Community Networks Program, which sought to significantly improve access to – and utilization of – beneficial cancer interventions and treatments in disparity communities. CNP grantees helped ensure that communities and populations experiencing a disproportionate share of the cancer burden had the resources to address cancer disparities through community based participation in education, research and training. CNP Centers continue this mission, working at a larger regional- and national- partnership scale.
