About the Center for Community Health & Prevention
Our Mission
To join forces with the community to promote health equity; improve health through research, education, services, and policy; and establish local and national models for prevention and community engagement.
Community health is a central mission of the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC), alongside patient care, education and research.
Our commitment to community health is brought to life through our many community health research, education and service outreach programs. It is further manifested in our efforts to discover the best possible prevention and treatment protocols, educate the highest caliber of future physicians and provide critically needed services to the community.
On any given day, URMC faculty, medical students, residents, and staff are working on ways to improve Rochester's health. From students volunteering in inner-city clinics, to programs aimed at decreasing obesity among adults and children, to researching ways to improve the health of entire groups of individuals, our community health efforts combine the unique strengths of the Medical Center with those of diverse community partners. Read the latest information about our programs and initiatives in our 2023 Report to the Community (PDF version).
Efforts to improve the health of the Rochester community are deeply rooted in the history of the University of Rochester Medical Center and can be traced back to the Medical Center's original benefactor, George Eastman, founder of the Eastman Kodak Company. In the early 1900s, Eastman agreed to fund a medical school with the caveat that the school use its skills and talents “to make Rochester one of the healthiest communities in the world.”
Eastman's vision shaped an enduring legacy.
Our Values
Equity: We affirm health is a human right for all.
Respect: We honor autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Courage: We tackle medical, behavioral, and social determinants of health.
Community Partnership: We value community expertise and work hand-in-hand with partners to improve health.
Science-based: We conduct, interpret, and translate science to improve health.
Advocacy: We use our resources to amplify voices often overlooked.
Meliora: We strive to be ever better.