341 Beyond checking the box: Engagement and capacity building of persons with lived expertise in research

Objectives/Goals: There has been a significant increase in the engagement of researchers with persons with lived and living experience, driven by a growing recognition of the invaluable insights and expertise these individuals bring to the research process. However, there remains a need for research teams to learn how to engage with patients and community partners. Methods/Study Population: The EMPOWER project is a collaborative of members with lived/living expertise of substance use during pregnancy. EMPOWER meets three times per month in support of their goals of patient-centered research, changing the narrative through conversations, and building the capacity of persons with lived experience to co-lead research. Through over 4 years of active collaboration and co-learning, EMPOWER has identified and created methods that support meaningful patient engagement and capacity building. Results/Anticipated Results: EMPOWER has identified the following methods that support meaningful engagement and capacity building: Mind-Mapping Exercises, Personal and Collective Journey Mapping, 8-month research training curriculum, Digital Storytelling, Learning Labs, and World Cafe Meetings. These methods have led to a collaborative of 20 individuals with lived experience of substance use to identify research gaps, prioritize research questions, design data collection tools, analyze research data, disseminate research results, and consult with healthcare teams in efforts to improve clinical care. To-date EMPOWER have given over 10 invited presentations and is currently writing manuscripts. Discussion/Significance of Impact: Meaningful patient and community engagement is critical to developing and implementing healthcare interventions. Unfortunately, engagement efforts are often lack in building capacity of patients and community, which impedes their ability to fully engage in all phases of research.