The CAB ensures that diverse and representative community voices guide the cancer center’s research, outreach, education, and clinical programs.
Community Outreach and Engagement
The Community Outreach and Engagement team, within the Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital, builds on a longstanding commitment to high-quality, expert, and patient-centered cancer care, screening, and prevention across the state of Connecticut. COE is dedicated to ensuring access to cancer-care and improving outcomes, with an emphasis on traditionally underserved communities. By extending the vast expertise and resources of Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital and partnering with community members and organizations on outreach, education, and research, COE is driven to ensure cancer health equity, improve outcomes in traditionally underserved communities, and redefine what quality cancer care looks like across the state.
Mission: To bridge partnerships between patients, communities, scientists, and providers and use data-driven approaches to achieve equitable care delivery and research across the cancer care continuum.
Vision: Driving catchment area research and elevating community voice in the service of improved cancer care outcomes.
Aims: The aims of COE are to:
- To identify and disseminate data on catchment area, cancer burden including cancer disparities, and cancer research and control priorities for the catchment area.
- To facilitate researcher knowledge of, and bidirectional engagement with, catchment area communities and catalyze innovative and catchment area-responsive science and programs.
- To build institutional and community infrastructure and programs that support stakeholder engagement in the planning, prioritization, and conduct of Yale Cancer Center research, including diversification of the participants in clinical trials.
- To collaborate to disseminate science and evidence-based practices to promote cancer awareness and influence cancer-related health policies within & beyond the catchment area.
Explore Our Programs & Resources
- Community Advisory Board
- Programs
- By the Numbers
- Information and Resources
- Research
- Training
- Meet Our Team
Community Advisory Board COE Programs YCC’s signature programs serve as a bridge with the community to build strong partnerships. They include COE Liaisons Program, Community Research Fellowship Program, Community Leadership Awards, and YCC Consortium to Advance Cancer Care Equity in Trials.
By the Numbers We are committed to understanding how cancer impacts our communities in the state of Connecticut and sharing that information with our partners and researchers.
Information & Resources Information and resources on cancer prevention, screening, genetic testing, cancer care, clinical trials and survivorship are available to help individuals advocate for their health.
Training Our team provides training in community engaged methods to trainees, fellows, and investigators to build capacity in the cancer center’s workforce.
Research YCC promotes and facilitates community-engaged cancer research through Catchment Area Research Awards, YCC Pilot Awards for Cancer Care Equity Research, and Community Health Equity Accelerator.
- March 17, 2026
National Clinician Scholars Program (NCSP) Foundations of Community-Engaged Research Audit Opportunity
- February 04, 2026Source: WTNH
Why colonoscopies matter and when you should get one (with Dr. Xavier Llor)
- January 30, 2026Source: Prevention
Scientists find taking this many steps a day lowers your cancer risk
- January 28, 2026
YCC Standout Research, Clinical Care, and Staff Support Recognized
- January 05, 2026
Community Collaboration Supports Prostate Cancer Rally in New Haven
- January 05, 2026
Aging & Cancer Research Joint Retreat
Upcoming Events
Yale Only Sakinah Carter Suttiratana, PhD, MPH, MBA