Life Course Translational Research Network (LCT-RN)

The potential benefits of life course theory have yet to be translated into practice due to gaps in: (1) Building an effective and equitable translational research continuum especially for intersectional marginalized MCH populations; (2) Actively engaging family youth and community representatives and practice partners in productive research-practice partnerships; (3) utilizing innovative measures of child family and community thriving across life stages to know when and how best to intervene; (4) Training researchers in the core competencies required for successful life course translational research (LCTR); and (5) Implementing interventions that improve crucial aspects of children's developmental ecosystems and address social determinants of health. These limitations have hindered the development implementation evaluation and dissemination of impactful life course interventions.

Goals and objectives:

(1) Grow and expand an interdisciplinary national Life Course Translational Research Network (LCT-RN) Infrastructure and Learning System that will accelerate translation and close implementation gaps in LCTR to reduce health disparities in MCH populations; (2) Train diverse LCT researchers to be responsive to the needs of underserved communities; (3) Conduct LCTR studies including six multi-site equity-focused two-generational interventions; and (4) Disseminate findings to stakeholders including MCH professionals policymakers family members and the public through a multi-modal approach accelerating translation of evidence to practice and policy at local state and national levels.

Proposed activities and target populations:

The LCT-RN will link researchers programs and collaborators with family youth and community representatives especially from under-represented backgrounds utilizing a science-based Node and Core structure. Proposed LCT-RN intervention studies include (1) Co-parenting (Scaling Family Foundations); (2) Financial coaching for underserved families (Medical-Financial Partnership); (3) Prevention of postpartum traumatic stress in parents of premature babies (PROPOPPS); (4) School-linked prevention of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in immigrant and refugee populations; (5) Prevention of substance use in youth with ADHD (PREPARE and INSPIRE); and (6) Universal Basic Income (UBI) for Transition-Aged Youth after Incarceration.

Coordination:

The National Coordinating Center based at UCLA and guided by a Steering Committee and Advisory Board will collaborate with HRSA-MCHB to guide all LCT-RN initiatives. Interdisciplinary researchers from multiple Collaborating Research Entities (CREs) will work in 7 Nodes and 3 Cores (Equity; Engagement; Measurement) to advance LCTR.

Products:

A collaboratively developed LCTR Agenda (LCTRA) published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented in at least one webinar; 6+ LCT studies funded over 5 years; 15 applications (10 R01s) submitted for external funding; 25 LCT-RN publications (5/yr.) 13 presentations; 10 webinars and 2 web-based toolkits.

Evaluation:

We will use a combination of process and outcome measures to assess network effectiveness and efficiency in obtaining goals and impact on MCH practice programs and policy.