The Power of Community Engagement and Co-Creation: Who Has a Voice, Who Has Power, and Who Benefits?

The Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies (CAS) is proud to present their Fall 2026 Colloquium Talk: The Power of Community Engagement and Co-Creation: Who Has a Voice, Who Has Power, and Who Benefits? In this presentation, we will explore the power of community engagement and co-creation in research and practice. Drawing on examples from addiction, mental health, workforce development, and community-academic partnerships, we will discuss the importance of relationships, lived and living experience, meaningful roles, and attention to power. The presentation will also consider practical ways to strengthen individuals, communities, and partnerships to create and sustain change in research, practice and communities. Who has a voice? Who has power? And who benefits?

Dr. Chyrell Bellamy, MSW, PhD Chyrell D. Bellamy, PhD, MSW, is a Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, Director of the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, Director of Peer Support Services & Research, and co-director of the Yale Lived Experience Transformational Leadership Academy. She also serves as Director of Community Engaged Research and the Associate Director of Educational Programs at the Yale Center for Clinical Investigation and as Senior Policy Advisor to the Office of the Commissioner at the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Dr. Bellamy is a recognized leader in peer support research, recovery innovation in the mental health and addiction fields, development of culturally responsive community-based interventions, and approaches to advancing community-engaged translational science, including CBPR and co-design methods.

Location:  Life Science Building (Busch Campus), Main Hall