The WVU Cancer Institute is part of a collaborative effort led by the Cedars-Sinai Cancer Center, along with six other National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers to offer the Certificate in Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) Program, beginning this fall.

This comprehensive training program recognizes the need for a performance-based cancer workforce training program that enables COE staff, as cancer control professionals and public health practitioners, to conduct necessary outreach and build capacity among the communities in each prospective cancer center’s catchment area. Designed for community health educators and outreach coordinators working at NCI-designated and emerging cancer centers, it offers them tools and training to enhance their skills in cancer control and prevention.

The Certificate in COE Program is first-of-its-kind training that provides participants with the latest strategies in community outreach and engagement for cancer control. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped with advanced knowledge and practical skills to better serve their communities in the fight against cancer. The Program will run from Sept. 26 to Nov. 22 and includes self-paced video content paired with weekly expert-led, synchronous discussion groups.

The WVU Cancer Institute is the only non-NCI designated cancer center included as a partner in this groundbreaking program joining prominent institutions such as Cedars-Sinai Cancer in Los Angeles, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center at University of Washington Medicine in Seattle, the University of Kansas Cancer Center, Fox Chase Cancer Center at Temple Health in Philadelphia, Stanford Cancer Institute in California, University of California-Irvine Health Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The Certificate in COE program is coordinated by Cedars-Sinai with the support of leading experts in cancer outreach and education. Amy Allen, director of research integration with the WVU Cancer Institute Cancer Prevention and Control (CPC) Program, and Mary Ellen Conn, director of community outreach and engagement with the CPC, contributed to the program by developing one of the modules. Their involvement highlights the Institute’s growing influence in the highly competitive field of community cancer prevention.

“This is a significant achievement for Amy and Mary Ellen,” Hannah Hazard-Jenkins, M.D., executive chair and director of the WVU Cancer Institute, said. “Being recognized and entrusted with such a vital role in a national certification program speaks to their expertise and commitment to improving cancer control efforts, not only in West Virginia but across the country.”

Those interested in participating in the Program’s next cohort can email darrah.kuratani@cshs.org for more information.

For more information on the WVU Cancer Institute, visit WVUMedicine.org/Cancer.