The Jackson Heart Study (JHS) Community Engagement Center (CEC), hosted by G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center, Inc., serves as the study’s primary link between cardiovascular research and the communities it aims to impact. Through the CEC, JHS translates research findings into evidence-based outreach, education, and prevention initiatives that promote heart health and address cardiovascular health disparities in priority communities across the Jackson metropolitan area.
The CEC works with a wide range of trusted community partners to expand the reach of JHS initiatives and strengthen community engagement. These partnerships include barbershops, faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, academic institutions, housing communities, public health partners, media organizations, and local municipal governments. Through these collaborations, the CEC implements evidence-based heart disease risk reduction programs, community screenings, health education activities, and advocacy efforts designed to increase awareness of cardiovascular risk factors and support healthy lifestyle behaviors.
As a Federally Qualified Health Center serving multiple counties in Mississippi, G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center provides the community-based infrastructure that supports the CEC’s work. By connecting clinical services, community partnerships, and research-driven outreach, the center helps ensure that JHS initiatives remain responsive to community needs while advancing the study’s broader mission of improving cardiovascular health and reducing health disparities in Mississippi.