Objectives
An objective of CEMHD is to launch a statewide coalition to develop the capacity to address the healthcare disparities challenges in small cities in New York.
Through partnership and collaboration with
- Community groups,
- healthcare providers,
- County & State health departments,
- and University at Albany and other area higher education institutions,
CEMHD will assess
- community needs,
- goals
- and resources
and implement and test specific solutions for minority and disadvantaged communities in small cities.
Addressing the Problem
Efforts to achieve this objective involve several components:
...as well as the following actions:
- Investigation of policies that impair and/or reduce health disparities,
- training of young researchers for health disparities work,
- improvement of lines of communication with minority communities,
- and strengthening the cultural competence of health providers.
The goals of these actions are to:
- Improve healthcare access and utilization, and thereby health, in minority communities,
- distribute information on healthcare to minority communities,
- and begin specific community projects to improve health, and eliminate health disparities.
Participating Communities
Currently, participating communities are located in Albany, Akwesasne (St. Regis Mohawk Tribe,) Hudson, and Amsterdam, New York. These populations were chosen because of their rich history of working with the University at Albany, the minority composition of each community, and the willingness of the communities to partner with UAlbany in this unique enterprise. As the Center develops, it will expand to include other cities north of New York City. Within each community, the Center will seek to engage local community groups, hospitals, and county departments of health as partners, while fostering a statewide partnership with the New York State Department of Health.
In the future we will expand our efforts to minority populations in
- Binghamton,
- Poughkeepsie/Newburgh,
- Rochester,
- Schenectady/Troy,
- and Syracuse
Community Partners
- Amsterdam Resource Center for Independent Living
- Black Child Development Institute, Albany Chapter
- Capital Area School Development Association, Albany
- Capital District African-American Coalition on AIDS
- Centro Civico of Amsterdam, Inc.
- The College of Saint Rose
- Community Hospice
- Empire State College
- Fulton Montgomery Community College
- HealthNow New York, Inc.
- Healthy Capital District Initiative
- Hudson Valley Community College
- Internships in Aging Project
- Macedonia Baptist Church
- Montgomery County Community Services
- New York State Department of Health
- Occupational and Environmental Health Center of Eastern NY
- Sigma Pi Phi/Beta Psi Boule
- Trinity Alliance/SNUG
- Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood
- Whitney M. Young Health Services