Led by BayouClinic, Inc., a Federally Qualified Health Center Look-Alike in Bayou La Batre, Alabama, GS-HPC partners with the University of Alabama at Birmingham and The University of Southern Mississippi. It is one of seven Transdisciplinary Collaborative Centers for Health Disparities Research (TCCs) funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is the only TCC based in a community organization.

Using a grassroots approach, GS-HPC works alongside communities to identify pressing health issues and opportunities for policy change. Our health policy coalition meets monthly in four locations to identify areas of intersection, strengthen our collective voice, and increase community capacity for improving health outcomes.

Recognizing that health is affected by multiple factors within and beyond the health system, our community education efforts take a wide view of health including topics like money management, fair housing, and disaster preparedness. Our health and resource events not only provide vital health screenings, but also connect participants to career resources, senior services, legal assistance, and parent education, among others.

Likewise, our research efforts measure how socioeconomic, environmental, and health system policies affect health outcomes in our communities. Current projects examine obesity prevention, disaster impact, adolescent sexual health, barriers to HIV testing, dental home policies, physical activity and screen time, intergenerational relationships, and culturally competent environmental policies.

Each research team is led by co-Principal Investigators: one from a community organization and one from an academic institution. This collaboration enables GS-HPC to produce research that is relevant, actionable, and grounded in the needs and realities of the local community.