SUNY Downstate Joins Effort to Strengthen Urban Health

SUNY Downstate Medical Center has joined a project aimed to improve the health of urban communities by developing their health workforce.

The institution has been selected as one of five participating in Urban Universities for HEALTH, or health equity through alignment, leadership and transformation of the healthcare workforce. 

The five institutions will work to improve data on health workforce needs, build institutional capacity and identify metrics for workforce goals to enhance urban health equity. Once developed, the knowledge gained will be applied to additional higher education institutions. 

“SUNY Downstate has a demonstrated commitment to improving urban health through specialized education, research, and clinical care programs, and we are so pleased that SUNY can be a part of this exciting national initiative,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher in a statement. 

“The Urban Universities for HEALTH initiative complements Downstate’s existing efforts to reduce disparities in healthcare delivery in urban communities,” said John F. Williams, MD, EdD, MPH, FCCM, president of SUNY Downstate.

In addition to Downstate, the schools involved are Cleveland State University/Northeast Ohio Medical University, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and the University of New Mexico. To conduct the project, Downstate will receive $428,400 over four years.