CAB Toolkit: Implementation
Resources on this page
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Logistics
Clarifying operating procedures (what a CAB does) and operating principles (how it gets those things done).
Studies to reference about developing operating principles
Integrating members’ and the community’s values to inform CAB procedures can generate trust. These values are often called “Guiding Principles” and may be co-developed as a trust-building tool.
Potential Guiding Principles
Sample Studies
Decide on structured vs. free-form
Principles to be revisited and amended as necessary
Training and onboarding
Work with your institution to ascertain if community partners are exempt from research requirements, such as CITI training, or if there are suitable substitutes, such as CIRTification or Research Ethics 4 All.
Leadership
Creating an equitable leadership structure helps to alleviate mistrust and ensure that the CAB’s work is grounded in community needs AND increase participation, satisfaction, and consensus-building.
*Be sure to consider backgrounds (academic, social, cultural) of members*
Decision-making
Do CABs inform decisions, determine outcomes, and/or have final say?
Transparency about the role of members in decision-making strengthens engagement and sustainability. You can opt for a hybrid approach as long as it’s clear to members, but you can also opt for a “select few” approach where 1-2 leaders in the CAB are selected to represent the CAB in decision-making. This can be a challenge to navigate, can put pressure on the selected leaders and lead to frustration.