Philosophy and Goals

The Community Health Collaborative (CHEC) advances Columbia Mailman’s impact in service, education, and research. CHEC brings community leaders together with School leadership, faculty, staff, and students to set public-health priorities and mobilize community strengths to achieve them. As CHEC advances its work, the interests, needs, and assets of our surrounding neighborhoods will become more deeply embedded in the school’s fabric.

Service

• Partner with community organizations to design and sustain programs that address their priority health goals.
• Strengthen community leadership and organizations as they shape local public-health decision-making.
• Provide community members, faculty, and students with access to evidence-based public-health tools and practices.

Education

• Enrich students’ professional development through community-based practice.
• Engage community members—including the next generation of scholars—in public-health teaching and learning.
• Create learning opportunities where students and community partners co-develop solutions to local public-health challenges.

Research

• Conduct rigorous research that responds to community-identified needs and builds on local assets.
• Share results so promising interventions reach communities faster.
• Use evidence from successful interventions to attract funding and expand access to public-health benefits.

Leadership

Launched in September 2024 under Dean Linda P. Fried, MD, MPH, the Community Health Collaborative (CHEC) is led by Executive Director Ana Jimenez-Bautista, with faculty leads Drs. Marcela Tamayo-Ortiz and Ying Wei.