Clyde B. McCoy, PhD¹, Lisa A. Metsch, PhD², Dale D. Chitwood, PhD³, J. Bryan Page, PhD⁴, Samuel Comerford, BA¹, Amanda Coltes, MPH², Yves Jeanty, MPH¹, and Kathleen Keck, MBA¹. (1) Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami, 1801 NW 9th Ave (D-93), Miami, FL 33136, (305) 243-6005, cmccoy@med.miami.edu, (2) Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami School of Medicine, 1801 NW. 9th Avenue, Suite 313, Miami, FL 33136, (3) Department of Sociology, University of Miami, Sociology Research Center, 5665 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Coral Gables, FL 33146-0719, (4) Department of Anthropology, University of Miami, 102 Merrick Building, Coral Gables, FL 33124

Accessing hidden populations is often a momentous task for public health and behavioral researchers. A unique shared resource at the University of Miami (UM), The Outreach and Assessment Center (OAC), was created to maximize efficient research management for implementing case-control, cohort, and intervention studies in hidden populations, particularly behavioral studies for drug abuse and HIV/AIDS. The OAC represents a significant shared resource providing many services for multidisciplinary research protocols. It was established by the Comprehensive Drug Research Center and the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health to provide efficient research infrastructure. The OAC borders the UM Medical Campus and its collaborative partner, Jackson Memorial Hospital, an ideal location to conduct studies in otherwise hidden populations. Ten current and many recently completed NIH-funded projects within the Departments of Epidemiology and Public Health, Anthropology, Psychiatry and Sociology have used the OAC. The operations management model has provided strict quality control for HIPAA, NIH human subject guidelines, UM quality control of data management and non-contamination of research records. Resources available include a safe and secure environment for both client and research staff, transportation service for indigent participants, and trained community and public health outreach staff. The OAC provides integrated automated systems for client tracking, unique identifiers, testing results and tracking cohorts in longitudinal studies. There is a laboratory for performing HIV testing and urinalysis by licensed clinical staff and space for individual or group outreach and intervention sessions as well as space for computer aided survey instruments in both English and Spanish.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this poster session, participants will be able to

• Identify the characteristics that make the outreach and assessment center a unique shared resource.
• Discuss the importance of the OAC for conducting various types of research and follow-up studies.
• Recognize and analyze the measures taken to assure adherence to research protocols.

Keywords: Outreach Programs, Drug Abuse

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.