Collaborators in the Community Guide

Many people work together to develop and promote the Community Guide. Each contributes specialized skills, expertise and perspectives that make the Community Guide a valuable resource.

Community Preventive Services Task Force

The Task Force is an independent, nonfederal, uncompensated body of public health and prevention experts, whose members are appointed by the Director of CDC. Task Force members:

• Oversee the prioritization process for which systematic reviews to conduct
• Participate in development and refinement of review methods
• Serve as members of individual review teams
• Consider the findings of all reviews and issue recommendations and findings to help inform decision making about policy, practice, research, and research funding in a wide range of U.S. settings

Liaisons to the Task Force

The Task Force and Community Guide began in 1996.The founders understood right away that it was impossible for the Task Force to represent all of the perspectives and experiences needed to inform their work. Therefore, they invited Liaison organizations and agencies to participate in the process of developing the Community Guide. Liaison representatives:

• Represent the views, concerns, and needs of their organization and constituents
• Provide input into review prioritization and Task Force recommendations findings
• Serve on, or recommend participants to serve on individual systematic review teams
• Disseminate Task Force recommendations among their members and constituents
• Help their members and constituents translate Task Force recommendations into action
• Provide feedback on how Task Force recommendations and findings were disseminated, implemented, and used, and how well the recommendations and findings met the needs of their constituents

Consultants to the Task Force

The Task Force also invites experts in methods or broad public health issues to participate in certain aspects of its work. Task Force consultants:

• Provide feedback on specific reviews
• Assist in methods refinement or methods issues

Community Guide Staff

Community Guide staff provide scientific, technical, and administrative support to the Task Force. They are based at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and include epidemiologists, behavioral and social scientists, systematic review methodologists, statisticians, economists, clinicians, communication specialists, health educators, and policy experts. Community Guide staff members:

• Coordinate systematic review teams
• Assure that each review is scientifically conducted according to approved methods
• Write and publish review findings
• Disseminate and participate in the translation of review findings to intended users including public health practitioners, policymakers, and researchers
• Create and maintain partnerships with representatives of intended user audiences
• Develop and refine systematic review methods
• Provide consultation and training about systematic reviews and developing evidence-based recommendations

CDC Programs

CDC programs contribute subject matter experts to participate in and, in some cases, take the lead on conducting Community Guide systematic reviews. CDC program staff:

• Provide input from the beginning and throughout the review process
• Serve on, or recommend participants to serve on individual systematic review teams
• Participate in dissemination activities and promote the use of Task Force recommendations and findings among their grantees and constituent audiences

Other Partner Agencies and Organizations

Several other agencies and organizations contribute their expertise to Community Guide reviews. These agencies and organizations:

• Provide input into review prioritization and Task Force recommendations and findings
• Serve on, or recommend participants to serve on individual systematic review teams
• Participate in dissemination to and promote the use of Task Force recommendations and findings among their grantees and constituent audiences

Individual Policy Makers, Practitioners and Researchers

The Community Guide also seeks input from individual policy makers, practitioners and researchers throughout its processes. These individuals:

• Provide input into review prioritization and Task Force recommendations and findings
• Serve on, or recommend participants to serve on individual systematic review teams
• Participate in dissemination and promote the use of Task Force recommendations and findings among their grantees and constituent audiences