News & Events

20262025202420232022

Urban Indigenous Community Conversations Aim to Make Treatment for Substance Use Disorders More Accessible to Western New York's Indigenous Population

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), American Indian/Alaska Natives (AIAN) experience the highest rates of substance use disorders (SUD) of any racial or ethnic group in the United States. This disparity is linked to numerous individual, community, and structural risk factors, including historical trauma, and resulting in poverty and mental illness. Community stigmatization surrounding SUD is a significant barrier that hinders treatment-seeking behavior, sobriety, and ongoing recovery within AIAN populations.

To address these disparities, Seneca Scientific Solutions+ and University of Rochester Medicine’s Recovery Center of Excellence partnered to develop and deliver “Indigenous Community Conversations” to rural Indigenous populations. Now, thanks to a Pilot Award granted by the Center for Community Health & Prevention’s Office of Health Equity Research (OHER), the research continues in 2026 with a new geographic focus.

Office of Health Equity Youth Advisory Board Welcomes New Faculty Director

Tuesday, May 19, 2026

As year three for the Office of Health Equity Research's Health Equity Youth Advisors (HEYA) Board comes to a close, an exciting new phase begins under the leadership of Michael Mattiucci, MD, MPH. 

University of Rochester Medicine Receives 2026 Health Equity Innovation Award from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield

Friday, May 1, 2026

University of Rochester Medicine’s Center for Community Health & Prevention (CCHP) has been selected as a recipient of the 2026 Health Equity Innovation Award from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. This annual award supports nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving health outcomes throughout the region.

The award will support a Bilingual Health Education Series, an initiative designed in partnership with Father Tracy Advocacy Center’s (FTAC) Neighborhood Ambassador Program. The series aims to identify ambassadors’ learning priorities and personal health goals, address these priorities, explore health issues relevant to their communities, provide opportunities to discuss navigation of the healthcare system, and monitor progress on personal health goals.

Uniting to Improve Maternal Health Outcomes and Take Action in the Region

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Some communities in the United States and in the Greater Rochester region face a maternal health crisis, with significantly high rates of preterm birth, low birth weight, and maternal morbidity and mortality. These disparities, coupled with other structural and socioeconomic barriers, including limited transportation, housing instability, and food insecurity, make it hard for affected mothers to advocate for themselves and maintain optimum health before, during, and after childbirth.

The Birth Action Collaborative, a Monroe County-based group convened in 2024 by University of Rochester Medicine’s Center for Community Health & Prevention, is working to drive measurable community-informed improvement across the region.

New Leadership, Shared Vision: Community Advisory Council Looks Ahead

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

For almost two decades, the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) Community Advisory Council (CAC) has been a critical resource for the medical center in strengthening relationships within communities and advancing the institution’s community health mission. Last fall, April Aycock, EdD, LMHC, director of the Monroe County Office of Mental Health and president and CEO of Awareness Counseling Services, and Ann Marie Cook, president and CEO of Lifespan of Greater Rochester, were welcomed as new CAC co-chairs. Both active members of the council, Aycock and Cook bring fresh perspectives to the leadership roles, as well as extensive experience guiding action and impact.