The Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse (CRUSADA) is funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

CRUSADA currently houses the following NIMHD P20 Center of Excellence:
                  
The Center for Substance Abuse and AIDS Research on Latinos in the United States
(C-SALUD) funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

The activities of CRUSADA are structured into four different cores:

1. The Administrative Core is the key liaison with NIMHD. It has been designed and structured to support the grant management, direction, coordination, integration, and oversight that is essential to carrying out the activities of the proposed NIMHD-C-SALUD in a timely and efficient manner and in accordance with NIMHD requirements.


2. The Research Core provides the long-term infrastructure support that will facilitate and guide community oriented multidisciplinary research initiatives at FIU. This research is directed towards eliminating substance abuse and HIV health disparities among Latinos, but in particular Latina women residing in Miami-Dade County.


3. The Research Education/Training Core is designed to (a) increase the number of researchers and professionals from racial/ethnic minority and medically underserved populations trained in behavioral research and (b) improve the quality of the training provided to behavioral researchers conducting research on health disparities in HIV/AIDS and substance abuse in Latino populations. Its specific objectives are 1) To develop a cadre of doctoral students at Florida International University (FIU) who will conduct behavioral research on the nature and extent of the HIV/AIDS and substance abuse epidemics among the Latino population in the United States; 2) To support the career development of postdoctoral trainees at FIU conducting behavioral research on health disparities in HIV/AIDS and substance abuse; and 3) To provide training to four community leaders on the conduct of research in HIV/AIDS and substance abuse in Latino populations and to develop their general research skills.


4. The Community Partnership/Engagement Core is designed to build on the previous work of one of the major studies conducted under the current P-20 NIMHD C-SALUD and an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) Administrative Supplement funded to continue the collaborative relationships between the current P-20 Center of Excellence and Farmworker Association of Florida, Inc. (FWAF), National Farm Worker Ministry (NFWM), Florida Department of Health, Care Resource, and M.U.J.E.R. Inc. (Mujeres, Unidas, en Justicia, Educacion, y Reforma, Women, United in Justice, Education, and Reform). The Core's overall aim is to establish innovative partnerships between FIU and the above named community organizations for the purpose of improving the health status of Latinos, and in particular Latina women, leading to the reduction and/or elimination of HIV and substance abuse health disparities confronting this population.

CRUSADA conducts Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) to address the growing problem of HIV/AIDS and substance use health disparities among Latino populations. The Center focuses on the social and cultural determinants of health that link HIV/AIDS and substance use, a priority area of HIV-related research at NIH (according to Fiscal Year 2010 Trans-NIH Plan [HRSA, 2010]). Specifically, CRUSADA investigates determinants impacting Latina women including socio-economic, language, and cultural, as well as health care barriers. The Center's line of research is based on a conceptual framework influenced by the literature on social and cultural influences on health (e.g., Dean & Fenton, 2010; Freemont & Bird, 1999; House, 2001; Link & Phelan, 1995). This scientific paradigm emphasizes "fundamental social and cultural causes" of health diseases to be at the core of the growing HIV and substance abuse epidemics among U.S. Latinos and African Americans.

CRUSADA addresses one of the major objectives of the Healthy People 2020 initiative, which is to reduce the number of new AIDS cases among adolescents and adults who inject drugs (the majority of which are either of Latino or African American descent; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2009). This will be accomplished by increasing the number of substance abuse treatment facilities that provide services such as HIV/AIDS education, counseling, and support to Latino and African American clients. CRUSADA is the only NIMHD P-20 Center whose primary objective is to document the linkages between substance abuse and HIV risk behaviors exclusively among Latinos, and in particular Latina women, primarily of Caribbean and South and Central American descent in the nation (NIMHD, 2010).

The Center facilitates the transfer of culturally relevant information that can be utilized by CBOs in the development of evidence-based HIV and substance abuse prevention strategies among Latina women. Several current major reports and plans highlight the gap between our knowledge of effective treatments (i.e., theory and science) and the services being received by clients (i.e., practice) (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2010; National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the U.S., 2010; National Institute on Drug Abuse and the International Aids Society, 2010). Taking into consideration that Latinas appear to be at heightened risk for alcohol and illicit drug use and contracting HIV, developing evidence based strategies to ameliorate these health disparities is essential (Lyles et al., 2007; CDC, 2010). As noted in the NIH Fiscal year 2010 Plan (p.79-87), it is imperative to sustain a commitment to HIV prevention by recognizing the interventions that have proven efficacious and scaling them up for widespread implementation, particularly among Latino and African American adolescents and young adults.

CRUSADA continues to enhance trust between researchers and the community by allowing for meaningful involvement of the community in the Center's research, training, and community oriented activities.

The Center continues to produce a cadre of scientists conducting research on health disparities that focus on HIV and substance abuse among Latino populations. As fellow stakeholders, these scientists are likely to be highly motivated and have a significant, long-term interest in understanding the social determinants that influence the increased rates of HIV and substance abuse affecting Latino communities. By cultivating scientific interest in this area, the Center aspires to significantly enhance the development of effective culturally-relevant HIV and substance abuse prevention/treatment programs targeting Latinos.

External Advisory Board

Members of the Center's External Advisory Board are listed below. Please note that new members will be added to this body in the coming weeks, including an official from the Miami-Dade County Health Department and members of the Miami-Dade County community.

External Advisory Board

• Dr. Maria Cecilia Zea (Chair; Professor of Psychology, George Washington University)
  
  
• Dr. Daniel Santisteban (Research Professor, University of Miami School of Nursing & Health Studies)
  
  
• Peter Wood (Vice President of Programs, Health Foundation of South Florida)
  
  
• Julia Llorente (HIV positive activist)
  
  

As Miami's first and only four-year public research university, Florida International University (FIU) is "Worlds Ahead" in its service to the community. With a student body of nearly 46,000, it is one of the 25 largest public universities in the nation. More than 110,000 FIU alumni live and work in South Florida.

Our colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, and law. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU has been locally and globally engaged for more than four decades, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time.

FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. The opening of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in August 2009 has enhanced the University's ability to create lasting change through its research initiatives. University Research expenditures are more than $100 million per year.

FIU's dynamic student body reflects the vibrant diversity of South Florida:

• 61% Hispanic
• 15% White non-Hispanic
• 13% Black
• 4% Asian or Pacific Islander
• 7% other racial/ethnic minority groups

FIU also serves a large percentage of economically disadvantaged students. Nearly 50 percent of all undergraduate students at FIU receive financial aid, and nearly 60 percent of those financial aid recipients come from families with annual household incomes under $30,000. Approximately 80 percent of students at FIU are undergraduates with the majority enrolled in the following colleges: Business Administration, Arts and Sciences, and Engineering. Ninety-six percent of the University's full-time tenured/tenure-seeking faculty hold doctorates or terminal degrees in their respective fields.

The Administrative Core will act as a key liaison with NIMHD. It is designed to support the grant management, direction, coordination, integration, and oversight that is essential to carrying out the activities of the proposed NIMHD-C-SALUD in a timely, efficient manner and in accordance with NIMHD requirements.

The specific aims of the core include:

• Manage the administration of the grant and its budget;


• Provide scientific and administrative leadership, overseeing activities carried out at NIMHD-C-SALUD;


• Coordinate and integrate the four Center cores and facilitate collaboration among Research Subprojects;


• Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the Center's activities in achieving its goals and objectives in a timely and efficient manner;


• Enhance the visibility and reach of the Center at the local, state, and national levels; and


• Ensure the long term sustainability and expansion of the Center and its community partners in their pursuit towards reducing and/or eliminating HIV/AIDS and substance abuse health disparities in Latino populations and Latina women in Miami-Dade County in particular.