Community Health Initiatives

Through the Department of Urban and Community Development, partnerships between the University, its schools and units and various institutions, community and faith-based organizations, are initiated and cultivated. The Department serves as a point of access to the many educational programs, collaborations and community service initiatives provided by UMDNJ to the communities statewide as part of its overall mission for community service.

Camden City Healthy Futures Committee

In Camden‚ the Department of Urban and Community Development is a lead member of Camden—based organizations and agencies called the Camden City Healthy Futures Committee whose purpose is to encourage a constructive and continuing dialogue toward developing a sustainable and effective health care delivery network in the city. Since 1990, the committee has worked to make health a key part of Camden’s ongoing revitalization efforts. Key organizations represented on the Committee include:

• African-American Advisory Commission
• Association for Children of New Jersey
• Camden AHEC
• Camden Community Recovery/Environmental Justice Coalition
• Camden County Department of Health and Human Services
• City of Camden
• Community Planning and Advocacy Council
• Cooper Hospital University Medical Center Healthy Mothers
• Healthy Babies Coalition of Camden City
• Hispanic Family Center of Southern New Jersey, Inc.
• Lourdes Health System
• N.J. Dept. of Environmental Protection - Div. of Air Quality Evaluation
• Planned Parenthood of Southern New Jersey
• Rowan University Urban and Public Policy Institute
• Rutgers University – Camden
• The South Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
• Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs

Institute for the Elimination of Health Disparities at UMDNJ

TThe Office has had a key role in the establishment the Institute for the Elimination of Health Disparities at UMDNJ‚ a statewide initiative created to foster ongoing research that will result in a better understanding of the social, economic and cultural causes of the disparities that exist between various racial and ethnic groups. Through various projects, the Institute seeks to identify strategies to address and eliminate health disparities in the State of New Jersey.

The goals and objectives of the Institute are achieved through a cooperative effort among the UMDNJ schools and the Department of Urban and Community Development. Additional information concerning the Institute may be obtained by contacting:

Institute for the Elimination of Health Disparities at UMDNJ
65 Bergen Street‚ Room 1346
Newark‚ New Jersey 07107
(973) 972–4382 Phone
(973) 972–5545 Fax