With roots in deliberative democracy, public deliberation is a method for gathering recommendations from a diverse cross-section of community members who will be affected by a decision for which there is no “right” technical solution. This methodology of community engagement gives participants accessible and balanced background information on the deliberative topic, and context for the recommendations that emerge. Accordingly, the guidance offered by deliberants is informed by the material provided and grounded in the values of the participants whose different life experiences shape their discussions and debate.
CEAR partners with government agencies, hospitals, and other decision makers to conduct public deliberations that, to date, have focused on a range of topics including healthcare, health systems, mental health, urban planning, and health equity.
Selected Work
Conducting a Virtual Public Deliberation on Prioritizing COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
CEAR conducted a series of public deliberations (PDs) on behalf of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to inform priorities for distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in NYC when initial supplies were limited. Discussions with a diverse cross-section of city residents, using a public deliberation approach, yielded a wealth of information on what is most important to New Yorkers when considering fair vaccine distribution. Funding for the pilots was provided by the Altman Foundation, New York State Health Foundation, United Hospital Fund and the de Beaumont Foundation.
Read our publication on the findings
Learn more about Public Deliberation
Community Perspectives on City Planning for Health Equity
Supported by ChangeLab Solutions, this commentary describes a 2018 case study in Roanoke, VA, where members of the city planning department used public deliberation to gather and incorporate community views to guide local government decision making regarding which neighborhoods should gain priority for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) community development funding.
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Community Priorities for Hospital-Based Prevention Initiatives
In the context of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, NYAM partnered with Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn in an AHRQ-funded grant that supported implementation of three public deliberations to gain local residents’ guidance for use of the hospital's community benefit resources to prevent chronic disease.
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Patient Recommendations for Safe Opioid Prescribing
This study from NYAM and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai used public deliberation as part of an AHRQ-funded grant to obtain input from people living with HIV in order to inform providers’ implementation of safe opioid prescribing guidelines.
Read the Study
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