August 5, 2026
Community-engaged research initiative changes name, expands mission and resources
Health
The Wayne State University Community-Engaged Collaborative for the Promotion to Access of Technology and Health is the new name for the initiative formerly known as the Center for Health and Community Knowledge in Urban Populations. The new CEC-PATH name is accompanied by an updated website
CEC-PATH’s (pronounced “seek path”) broadened mission is to improve the health of the region through meaningful community-academic collaborations and community-engaged solutions and research. CEC-PATH represents an expansion through an emphasis on the digital divide and digital health equity, the fair and just opportunity for all individuals and communities to engage with digital health tools and re
Community stakeholders, staff and faculty agreed in 2025 that this expanded vision called for a new name
“This evolution reflects both the growth of the work and a commitment to engaging more WSU faculty, staff and students in community-informed initiatives,” said Afsana Rinky, manager of research and operations for CEC-PATH. “Technology use and digital inclusion provide an important lens for continuing to build partnerships that support health.”
CEC-PATH builds on a history of fostering coalitions, including the Detroit Community Health Alliance & Partnerships, a multi-sector coalition formed in 2023 committed to implementing multilevel community-based health interventions to improve cardiovascular health, cancer control and mental health. D-CHAP has 40 members, including 24 community-based organization representatives and residents, who collaborate to bring about community-level changes that foster health-promoting opportunities and behaviors.
D-CHAP has recently established a Research Workgroup, a new advisory body serving as an active connector between academic researchers and community stakeholders seeking to establish meaningful research partnerships
“D-CHAP is a network of some of the most dynamic community-based organizations and advocacy groups in our area,” said Hayley Thompson, Ph.D., professor of WSU Oncology and CEC-PATH director. “The Research Workgroup has created a system through which WSU researchers, including students, can present their work and the group will provide constructive feedback related to methods and dissemination, as well as provide a structured pathway for linking the researcher with community members and organizations with an interest in exploring the topic or that may already be tackling the issue. The group will also make recommendations about how to structure community-academic collaborations in ways that are equitable, transparent and mutually beneficial.”
CEC-PATH has also been part of the creation of a range of resources to support community-engaged research teams. Carrie Leach, Ph.D., MPA, assistant professor at the WSU Institute of Gerontology and CEC-PATH’s director of Community Inclusion, led the creation of a new handbook, “Guidelines for Community Engaged Health Research,” in collaboration with a number of WSU faculty with expertise in community-engaged research. The handbook is accessible here. “This resource responds to a real need for practical guidance that helps researchers across the WSU campus move from intention to action in community-engaged research,” Dr. Leach said. “Our goal is to build the capacity of faculty who are committed to health research but need more tools and confidence to integrate community expertise in their work.”
In addition to CEC-PATH, development of the guidelines was supported by WSU’s Institute of Gerontology, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and the WSU Center for Urban Responses to Environmental Stressors
The guidelines are grounded in community engagement principles and offer practical tools and re CEC-PATH website. Training sessions based upon the handbook will be made widely available
The website provides a comprehensive overview of all CEC-PATH’s components as well as multiple ways that community organizations, residents, faculty, staff and students can get involved and connect scholarship to community-identified priorities for real-world impact. The website includes the interests, priorities and needs of community organizations involved with CEC-PATH and specific ways that WSU faculty and students can partner with them
For more information on CEC-PATH partners, workgroups, research projects and community engagement rey.thompson@wayne.edu
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