The STARR Coalition relies on its stakeholders to identify needs within clinical research and advocacy, collaborate with fellow thought-leaders, and find innovative solutions to complex issues. Join a workgroup and be a part of meaningful change.

PURPOSE

One of the core tenets of The STARR Coalition is active participation from stakeholders. Stakeholders are encouraged to bring potential or existing challenges facing research and advocacy to the Coalition. Workgroups are formed around topics of relevance and interest to the stakeholders. With The STARR Coalition being a unbiased, neutral entity, a safe space is created for multiple sponsors, sites, advocates, etc. to work as a collective entity with open dialogue and shared solutions.

STARR Advocacy Board — The board meets monthly to discuss topics relevant to mental illness and research and get updates on latest programs and projects underway at member organizations. We are continuing to add new members to our Advocacy Board. Objectives of the STARR Advocacy Board include (1) creating resources for STARR advocacy partners to connect with the mental health clinical research community, and be supportive of and advocate for research within their organizations; (2) providing a platform for the STARR community to connect with our advocacy partners.

Study Volunteer Transition Workgroup — This workgroup is tasked with finding useful ways to aid study participants in their transition from the trial back to everyday life, ensuring that they continue their recovery journey. We have collected resources from various organizations to create information packets that you can provide to your study volunteers and their caregivers to ensure that they have tools and resources for their continued health and well-being.

 

Family & Caregiver Engagement — The goal of this workgroup is to help study staff involve families and caregivers in the research process. Engaging these key stakeholders improves study outcomes, builds trust, and ensures trial interventions are maintained in real-world settings.

We’ve created a simple checklist with tools and resources to help you engage the families and caregivers supporting your patients.

STARR Diversity Workgroup – This workgroup is looking at cultural inclusion in research including finding ways to access underserved areas of our communities with research education, identifying cultural/ethnic/socio-economic barriers to research participation, ensuring sites are reflective of the communities they serve, and building pathways for more diversity in research leadership.

National Call to Action to Support Mental Health Research – This initiative was established in response to the need to build awareness and fight the stigma of mental health research and includes representatives from across the research industry and advocacy. The workgroup is focused on finding simple and actionable ways individuals and organizations could increase public awareness and support the advancement of mental health research.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

If any staff members are interested in joining an existing workgroup, or if you identify a golden thread running throughout research, treatment or advocacy which needs to be addressed, contact The STARR Coalition for assistance. Discussing best practices and progressive ideas can potentially result in industry changing solutions.