Center for Community Health & Prevention
More than ever before, the role of public health in protecting and promoting the health of our communities has been highlighted by the pandemic. Although much progress has been made, this health crisis isn’t over and we have many other health challenges to address. We will need to keep working together to ensure the health of all those who live in our region. I invite you to read about the incredible work our Center for Community Health & Prevention (CCHP) team is doing to expand our services and help people lead healthier lives. Best wishes for a healthy fall! Nancy M. Bennett, M.D., M.S. director of the Center for Community Health & Prevention
Community Outreach and Impact: Fall 2021
Center Recognized by New York State Public Health Association (NYSPHA) The Center was recognized with the Outstanding Leadership in Public Health in New York State (Organization) Award at the virtual 2021 New York State Public Health Partnership Conference Annual Awards ceremony.
Working together with a legion of valued community and University of Rochester (UR) partners, the CCHP has made real progress towards improving health and health equity in our region. In April, the Center was recognized with the Outstanding Leadership in Public Health in New York State (Organization) Award at the virtual 2021 New York State Public Health Partnership Conference Annual Awards ceremony. The award honors agencies for making significant contributions to public health and recognizes them for being leaders in their communities. CCHP Director Nancy M. Bennett, M.D., M.S., accepted the award on behalf of the Center and said a few words, thanking faculty, staff and community partners for their dedicated work and the NYSPHA for the recognition. You can watch the awards ceremony and presentation on the NYSPHA Facebook page.
Workforce Navigation Programs Provide Support During Pandemic In a very challenging year and a half, our Teen Health & Success Partnership (THSP) and Rochester Health Profession Opportunity Grants (HPOG) programs were a lifeline for many graduating Rochester youth and career-driven individuals in need of assistance with employment and professional development.
THSP Highlights Despite challenges presented by the pandemic, 36 high school students have been employed by UR this school year (September 1, 2020 - August 31, 2021), with 11 receiving promotions. 100% graduation rate – compared to Rochester City School District’s 62% graduation rate in 2020. 74% of THSP seniors will attend college, heading to Monroe Community College, University of Rochester, New York University, St. John Fisher College, Nazareth College, Roberts Wesleyan College, Pace University, Niagara University and Medaille College, among others this fall. • The THSP team helped organize a virtual healthcare career panel in October 2020 and a virtual Wellness Expo in May 2021 with East High. • THSP and the Division of Hospital Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) are piloting a mentoring and shadowing project designed to support students from the local community to pursue careers as physicians. - 7 THSP participants have been matched with physician mentors, and one program graduate and HPOG participant was accepted to medical school at UR for fall 2021. HPOG Highlights 92 UR employees are currently enrolled in HPOG. Since the beginning of the program year in October 2020, 12 participants completed health care training programs and 14 found new UR positions, such as phlebotomist, medical technologist, pharmacy technician and outpatient access specialist.
“I encourage rising high school seniors and college students interested in the health care field to take part in the THSP and HPOG programs.
Program mentors are very supportive. They helped me secure my first job, make many great connections and work through the medical school admission process. They have the best interest for their students.”
Diamond Guy UR School of Medicine & Dentistry (SMD) ‘25 RIT ‘21 graduate THSP participant HPOG participant
Nicotine Dependence Treatment Program Offers Complete Package In addition to treating more young adults and adolescents for vaping, our nicotine cessation team has expanded its program to work directly with area pediatricians and family medicine practices. We are asking these clinicians to talk with their patients’ parents about the negative impact secondhand smoke can have on their child’s health. If the parent is interested, the clinician can refer them to our team for cessation services, right through the child’s electronic medical record. Our Nicotine Dependence Treatment program is unique in that it combines counseling and the option of being prescribed medications that can help a person quit smoking or vaping. The coupling of medication and counseling leads to the most successful outcomes. “We are really excited to bring more opportunities to individuals that will support them in their quit journeys and set them up for success.” – Holly Russell, M.D., M.S. medical director, Clinical and Community-based programs
We are also excited to be kicking off a free virtual six-session Commit to Quit! Group Program for community members. The curriculum is based on four pillars – awareness, support, planning and goals. Each 60-minute session is facilitated by our trained lifestyle counselors and cessation experts. While further individualized services are available to participants, this group-based program is unique in that it allows for individuals to learn from one another’s experiences and provides a space for group support and validation. “Nicotine use continues to be a significant public health issue in our region,” said Holly Russell, M.D., M.S., medical director of our Center’s Clinical and Community-based programs. “We are really excited to bring more opportunities to individuals that will support them in their quit journeys and set them up for success.”
SENIOR FACULTY AWARDEES (AWARDED JOINTLY)
Satcher Award Event Highlights Work to Reduce Racial Disparities & Improve Community Health The 12th annual Dr. David Satcher Community Health Improvement Awards, held virtually in May, featured a timely grand rounds presentation by Eugenia C. South, M.D., M.S.P.H., physician at Penn Medicine and assistant professor of Emergency Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She also serves as the vice chair for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity. She is the faculty director of the Urban Health Lab, which focuses on partnering with communities to build healthy neighborhoods. South presented “Making Black Lives Matter through Investment in Black Neighborhoods,” which addressed the root causes of urban gun violence, including structural racism, as well as several place-based interventions from her research that help to prevent gun crime and promote community health. Nearly 150 attendees tuned in for the presentation and to celebrate this year’s awardees. Three URMC faculty members were recognized for their contributions to improving health in the Greater Rochester region.
Laura Jean Shipley, M.D., professor of Clinical Pediatrics, vice chair for Population and Behavioral Health in the Department of Pediatrics and associate medical director for Maternal Child Health at Accountable Health Partners. Jeffrey Kaczorowski, M.D., professor and vice chair for Community and Government Affairs in the Department of Pediatrics, former director of the National American Academy of Pediatrics Community Pediatrics Training Initiative from 2004 to 2019 and currently its senior advisor.
JUNIOR FACULTY AWARDEE Angela Branche, M.D., assistant professor at the School of Medicine & Dentistry and co-director of the NIH-funded UR Vaccine Treatment and Evaluation Unit, who has conducted clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines and actively engaged the community in supporting these studies.
Medical Students Earn Distinction in Community Health Each year, several UR SMD medical students, who also excel in community health scholarship, are recognized at graduation as an M.D. with Distinction in Community Health. This is an option for students who make significant longitudinal contributions to community service, excel in the Community Health Improvement Courses, and engage in learning about current issues and topics in community health throughout medical school.
2021 Distinction in Community Health recipients
“These amazing students were able to create and complete meaningful health improvement projects with community partners, many changing course to address acute needs due to the COVID pandemic. We are so proud of this wonderful group of community-minded physicians.” – Theresa Green, Ph.D., M.B.A., director, Community Health Policy and Education
As part of the Center’s educational initiatives, this process is coordinated by Theresa Green, Ph.D., M.B.A., Community Health Policy and Education director, and Carolyn Settle, M.P.H., Community Health Education coordinator. Interdisciplinary experiences such as these are integral to the mission of the CCHP, enabling students to work collaboratively with Center faculty, staff and community partners to promote health outside of the health care system. M.D. candidates are able to complete substantial and sustainable community health improvement with community partners, spending time learning the needs of the community and thinking creatively to develop and implement a quality improvement project. This spring, 10 Class of 2021 medical students were awarded an M.D. with Distinction in Community Health, with 2 exemplar graduates also receiving the Costanza Community Impact Award and the Creative Initiative in Community Health Award for exceptional projects. Learn more about each student awardee and their community health projects.
New Office of Health Equity Research Established A new Office of Health Equity Research (OHER) was recently created as part of the URMC Equity and Anti-Racism Action Plan. Dr. Bennett and Karen Vitale, M.S.Ed., operations director of the Population Health Branch at UR Clinical & Translational Science Institute (UR CTSI), are leading the establishment of OHER with additional support from the UR CTSI. Recognizing that disparities in health stem from inequity and that racism, not race, causes these disparities, the OHER will increase the capacity for health equity research through workforce development, extensive local and national engagement, translational discoveries, clinical trials and population health research.
Center Director Called Upon to Help Lead Finger Lakes COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts Since December 2020, Dr. Bennett has led the URMC Finger Lakes COVID-19 Vaccine Hub and co-chaired the Finger Lakes COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force, along with Common Ground Health CEO Wade Norwood. In addition, she has worked as a special advisor to the Monroe County Department of Public Health vaccination program. These efforts involve departments of health, health care professionals and dozens of community partners working together to ensure equity, transparency and efficient immunization of residents of the nine counties of the Finger Lakes region. The Vaccine Hub, which includes several other CCHP staff, was also recognized at a recent UR Medicine Joint Meeting on the Quality of Care for its outstanding leadership in URMC’s pandemic response. As a result of her leadership roles, Dr. Bennett became a regional spokesperson for COVID-19 vaccine issues, such as availability, eligibility, vaccine science and safety, as well as equity in vaccination efforts. Her work as a nationally-recognized expert, with her experience in medicine, public health and immunization, as well as her commitment to equity and prevention, were some of the reasons Michael Mendoza, M.D., M.P.H., commissioner of the Monroe County Department of Public Health, and Adam Bello, Monroe County Executive, called upon her to oversee the vaccination efforts. “It takes many villages to meet the challenges of the pandemic,” shared Dr. Bennett. “It has been an honor to learn and work so closely with so many others across the Finger Lakes region. We must continue our collaborative efforts, not only for COVID vaccination, but also to address our ongoing public health challenges. I look forward to continuing this important work with our many partners.”
Infectious Disease Expert Recognized with Alumni Service Award
Ghinwa Dumyati, M.D., infectious disease physician, director, Communicable Diseases Surveillance and Prevention
Communicable Diseases Surveillance and Prevention Director Ghinwa Dumyati, M.D., was recently selected through a competitive process for the 2021 School of Medicine & Dentistry Alumni Service Award. Established in 2002, this award honors an alumnus who has furthered the interests of the medical school and Alumni Council through significant support, commitment and service. In her notification letter, the selection committee commended Dr. Dumyati for “her dedication to the community for over three decades, which has significantly reduced healthcare-associated infections and improved regional health.” Her critical epidemiological work during the pandemic and inspirational mentorship of healthcare professionals for many years were also noted. The award will be presented to Dr. Dumyati during a signature event on September 30. Congratulations!
Center for Community Health & Prevention University of Rochester Medical Center 46 Prince Street, Suite 3001 Rochester, NY 14607
(585) 602-0801 | Fax: (585) 442-3372 urmc.rochester.edu/community-health