Promoting Health Equity

The UPMC Center for Engagement and Inclusion’s community engagement strategy and Community Health Partnership Council addresses major health disparities in our communities with the intent of creating deep impact on these issues.

Community Engagement Strategy

The Center for Engagement and Inclusion’s community engagement strategy focuses on 3 areas as a starting point in 2018. The intent is to invest efforts and resources in a deep and narrow manner in order to foster greatest impact.

Health

We will partner with Allegheny County Health Department, local community organizations, and University of Pittsburgh on 2 health issues that disproportionately impact our diverse communities:

• Diabetes Prevention Initiative — This will specifically focus on pre-diabetes screenings, education, healthy eating with health food access and active living.
• Gun Violence Prevention Initiative — Homicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for African American men and 85% of all homicides impact the African American community in Allegheny county. There is opportunity for UPMC to help address this public health issue as a major health care provider and largest employer in the state of Pennsylvania.

Youth

A free STEM program that exposes children in underserved communities to the medical and health sciences, planting the seeds of interest in health care careers. The beginning of a pipeline education program that starts with elementary-age students and is developed and lead by graduate health science students.

National Initiative

UPMC will develop and sponsor a national exhibit of African Americans in the medical and health sciences with one of the national museums in Washington, DC.

Community Health Partnership Council

The Community Health Partnership Council is a coalition of community organizations with a mission to build a healthy Pittsburgh for our diverse communities, address their needs and health disparities. The goals of the council include:

1. Exchange information on relevant initiatives impacting our diverse neighborhoods with the goal of addressing opportunities in a timely manner.
2. Foster positive dialogue and feedback from community partners regarding the development and facilitation of CFEI programs to ensure optimal benefit and use of resources.
3. Develop an ongoing communication platform that keeps UPMC and partner organizations apprised of each others’ initiatives and activities while including health literacy content for underserved communities.

Other Community Initiatives

Flipside

The Flipside is an anti-gun violence initiative that brings together the multiple entities that are affected by a shooting and leads at-risk youth through a series of activities that follow “the path of the bullet.” Students are moved through the sessions by following the story of a shooting victim.

The goal of the Flipside is to give students the opportunity to think and reflect about the real consequences of their actions. In the conclusion of the session, opportunities for a safer and more productive lifestyle are highlighted and presented to the students. The programs allows for them to not only acknowledge they need to make better decisions in life but give also give them the tools to do so.

Goal 1: Address youth and gun violence in Western Pennsylvania.

Goal 2: Decrease the number of gun related homicides committed by minors.

Goal 3: Create career path for at-risk youth.

Lend A Hand

Lend A Hand is the UPMC employee volunteerism program. The initiative enables employees to experience the rewards of giving back to the communities in which we all live and work, through donation drives, volunteer activities, or attending events. Click here for more information on Lend A Hand and how to get involved as a community organization or employee.

Learn more about Lend A Hand and become a partner organization.

Pittsburgh Pride

Each June, the Center for Engagement and Inclusion leads UPMC’s presence at the Pittsburgh Pride Equality March and Two-Day Festival. UPMC is committed to partnering with the LGBTQ community in our region through participating in the week long Pride celebration, in addition to providing monetary sponsorship through the Center for Engagement and Inclusion’s Charitable Giving Initiative.

Learn more about UPMC’s 2018 presence at the Pittsburgh Pride March and Festival.

Partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), The New Pittsburgh Courier, and the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh

To reinforce UPMC’s commitment to research, improving health literacy, and overall community health, the Center for Engagement and Inclusion participates in a monthly partnership with CTSI, the New Pittsburgh Courier, and the Urban League. Each month, a health related articles is published in the New Pittsburgh Courier, highlighting pertinent research to the health of our diverse communities.

Sponsorships

• Use our online form to apply for sponsorships through the UPMC Center for Engagement and Inclusion.

White Papers

The white papers initiative allows UPMC Center for Engagement and Inclusion to leverage diversity infrastructure groups to develop and produce scholarly publications related to diversity and inclusion efforts in healthcare. Topics include health disparities, community health, and workforce development. To date, the CFEI has published “Addressing Health Inequities within the LGBTQ Patient Population”. To receive an electronic copy, please email engagement@upmc.edu.