Past Projects

EF HIV!

Expressing Freely to Stop HIV (EF HIV!) was a peer-led, art-based group intervention in Long Beach focused on improving HIV-related health outcomes among youth affected by the epidemic. The program supported increased participation in HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as key prevention tools. EF HIV! was funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Division of HIV and STD Programs.

HIV.E – Ending the HIV Epidemic Project

The HIV.E Project is a collaborative initiative aimed at advancing HIV prevention and treatment across Los Angeles County. Funded by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Division of HIV and STD Programs, this project was carried out through a partnership between the LAC+USC Medical Center Foundation and the AMAAD Institute (AMAAD). The goal of HIV.E is to raise community-wide awareness and promote access to HIV prevention tools, testing, and care throughout LA County.

PPOWER LB

Peer Promotion of Wellness and Linkage to Enhanced Resources Long Beach (PPOWER LB) was a peer-led dyadic intervention designed to increase the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention. The program focused on individuals in communities with the highest rates of HIV prevalence, aligning with Los Angeles County public health priorities. PPOWER LB was funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the Ending the HIV Epidemic Grant, in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Division of HIV and STD Programs.

PPOWER 2 Tobacco-Cannabis Intervention

The Peer Promotion of Wellness and Enhanced Linkage to Resources 2 (PPOWER2) project evaluated the impact of a peer-led intervention aimed at reducing tobacco, nicotine, and cannabis use among young adults in Long Beach, California. This initiative used real stories and lived experiences to motivate healthy choices and build awareness around substance use. Tailored to specific at-risk cohorts, the program developed and tested a peer-driven approach to behavior change. More than 200 participants engaged in intervention and evaluation activities, which included baseline and follow-up assessments as well as momentary behavioral tracking.

My Sister’s Keeper

The Center for Health Equity Research (CHER) served as the evaluation partner for the City of Long Beach’s CalGRIP 7 grant project, My Sister’s Keeper. This community-based initiative aimed to reduce gang affiliation and protect girls at risk of gang-related violence and human trafficking.

The grant implemented a proven, evidence-based anti-gang strategy endorsed by the U.S. Department of Justice. The program focused on reducing gang involvement and victimization among at-risk girls and young women, ages 10 to 24, living in Long Beach.

Long Beach Gang Reduction and Intervention Project 6

CHER conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the Long Beach, California, Gang Reduction and Intervention Program (CalGRIP) 6. This state-funded initiative used a wraparound approach to address the root causes of youth delinquency and promote long-term community safety.

SAMHSA PPOWER Project

The Peer Promotion of Wellness and Enhanced Linkage to Resources (PPOWER) project evaluated a community-based strategy to reduce substance use and prevent the transmission of HIV and hepatitis C (HCV). In collaboration with local healthcare, mental health, and substance use treatment providers, CHER developed and implemented targeted interventions, testing, and linkage-to-care services for high-risk populations.

Building Healthy Communities, Central Long Beach (BHC)

Building Healthy Communities (BHC), a ten-year initiative funded by The California Endowment, aimed to improve health outcomes in Central and West Long Beach through a place-based, systems-level approach. The program fostered collaboration among residents, community-based organizations, and local government leaders to drive long-term change. CHER served as the Learning and Evaluation (L&E) Team, leading both local and cross-site evaluation efforts to assess the initiative’s impact and support ongoing community health improvement.

Rompe el Silencio – Break the Silence

Rompe el Silencio, funded by the Office of Women’s Health, focused on reducing HIV risk among U.S. Latinas through a culturally tailored prevention program. The intervention was designed to strengthen family-based communication about HIV/AIDS across generations and address barriers faced by Latinas in East Los Angeles. By engaging women and their families, the program aimed to promote awareness, prevention, and long-term health equity within Latino communities.

The TIM Project

The TIM Project (Testing Intervention Model), funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, explored strategies to increase HIV testing among young Black men who have sex with men (BMSM). The study aimed to develop a targeted intervention and assess the effectiveness of using social networks to promote HIV testing and early detection within this high-risk population.

Healthy Changes Partnership

The Cambodian Family, a grassroots community-based organization in Santa Ana, California, implemented the Healthy Changes Partnership with support from the Office of Minority Health’s PAC (Partnerships Active in Communities) Program. Located near Cambodian and Latino neighborhoods, the initiative aimed to advance health equity by addressing community-specific needs through culturally responsive strategies.

Research Infrastructure in Minority Institutions (RIMI)

The CSULB RIMI Project was a five-year, multi-million-dollar initiative supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) at the National Institutes of Health. This collaborative effort among three CSULB research centers aimed to strengthen research infrastructure and reduce health disparities by mentoring faculty and students in community-engaged, equity-focused health research.

Safe in the City

This five-year, CDC-funded, multi-site study evaluated the effectiveness of Safe in the City, a 23-minute HIV/STI prevention video featuring soap opera-style vignettes. The intervention aimed to promote consistent condom use and safer sex behaviors among patients at sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics in three U.S. cities. Using a controlled trial design, clinics alternated between showing the video with supporting posters and maintaining a standard waiting room experience at four-week intervals to assess the impact on STI incidence.

Long Beach HIV Needs Assessment

Funded by the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, this project aimed to identify HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment needs among diverse populations in Long Beach and nearby communities. The assessment examined gaps between community-identified needs and available services, while also identifying barriers that individuals living with HIV/AIDS face in accessing care.

CDC Health Leader Study

This CDC-funded study examined how monetary incentives compared to non-monetary support and recognition affected the retention, productivity, and satisfaction of volunteer community health leaders. The research compared 26 Health Leaders in Long Beach who received financial incentives with 26 leaders from another city who did not. While both groups reported high satisfaction, the incentivized Long Beach leaders demonstrated greater productivity, highlighting the potential impact of compensation in community health programs.

Partnership for the Public’s Health (PPH)

This statewide initiative, funded by The California Endowment, aimed to build community capacity and strengthen local systems for addressing health issues across California. The project focused on empowering residents to identify and respond to health concerns, mobilizing local health departments, and fostering partnerships to drive systems-level change. Community members were trained as Health Leaders, forming the foundation of the Promoting Physical and Public Health (PPH) initiative. CHER led the project evaluation, which included participant observation, workshop assessments, focus groups, and survey administration. Results showed that individuals from diverse communities discovered shared health challenges, collaborated effectively, and began sharing knowledge to create healthier, more connected neighborhoods.

Gonorrhea Community Action Project (GCAP)

This multi-site project, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), aimed to identify and address the root causes of high rates of gonorrhea and other bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in seven U.S. communities. In Phase 1, researchers analyzed contributing factors, and in Phase 2, they developed targeted interventions in three high-impact areas. The local study in Los Angeles County’s Southwest Health District focused on youth and young adults, using a participant-centered approach to reduce gonorrhea transmission and improve sexual health outcomes.

RESPECT-2

Project RESPECT demonstrated that two sessions of risk-reduction counseling could effectively prevent sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). However, low return rates for test results in routine clinical settings led to the development of RESPECT-2. This randomized controlled trial compared the effectiveness of rapid HIV testing with same-day counseling (one visit) versus the original two-visit Project RESPECT model. Conducted among STD clinic patients ages 15 to 39 in Denver, Long Beach, and Newark, the study measured STD incidence over a 12-month period to evaluate outcomes and improve HIV prevention strategies.

Project RESPECT

Project RESPECT was a CDC-funded, multi-site randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness of different HIV counseling and testing approaches. The study compared a four-session, theory-based enhanced counseling model, a two-session brief counseling model, and a standard information-and-testing-only group. Conducted across five public health department STD clinics in the U.S.—including the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services—the trial aimed to identify the most effective strategies for reducing HIV risk and improving patient outcomes in clinical settings.