An initial meeting to share the Community Pain Network’s mission, objectives, and next steps was held today in Bryan, Texas. A small gathering of individuals with an interest in building a network to “improve outcomes and well-being for all people living with chronic pain via a collaborative community of diverse providers, researchers, community leaders, and individuals with experience of chronic pain” came together to learn more.

The network’s initial objectives were shared:

• Support and educate those with pain, providing tools designed to overcome challenges and improve quality of life
• Build alliances across the community — connecting people across professions to serve those with chronic pain
• Disseminate educational resources founded on evidence-based, integrated approaches to chronic pain
• Inspire innovative research that leverages community strengths to reimagine whole-person pain care

This commitments statements was also shared:

“We are committed to representation and equitable collaboration. This includes explicit recognition of lived experience as expertise, and intentional inclusion of people from diverse backgrounds as essential in addressing the problem of pain in our community.”

Attendees were encouraged to consider how they could be involved and were invited to submit their thoughts to info@communitypainnetwork.org