About

The Center for Community Health Education Research and Service, Inc. (CCHERS) is a community/academic partnership for building healthy communities. Its partners are Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Public Health Commission, Northeastern University Bouvé College of Health Sciences and a network of fifteen community health centers serving the diverse racial and ethnic neighborhoods of Boston. Northeastern University serves as its host institution and sustaining partner.

Strategic Vision/Mission – Goals and Objectives -2021

Vision: Envision a healthcare system based on health equity and racial justice for optimal health of the most vulnerable populations and communities of society.

Mission: To engage institutions, communities, community health centers and other stakeholders in education, research and service partnerships to reorient health professions education, improve health of communities, and promote healthcare system change.

Health Professions Education:

Promote community based, community oriented primary care education for a range of health professions students, from high school through graduate and professional school, to improve community health services provided to underserved populations.

Community Engaged Partnered Research (CEPR):

Promote community derived and directed health services, public health, and clinical research in partnerships with academic medical centers, and university researchers that focus on health issues of diverse urban populations.

Community Health Development:

Facilitate collaborative, integrated and coordinated community focused strategies to address community health challenges to impact the related social determinants of healthy community development.

Health Workforce Development:

Promote workforce development strategies to address shortage areas, diversity, and other workforce needs of community health centers and other community health organizations.

Health Equity Policy:

Promote public and institutional policy change in health professions education, community health, and healthcare access to create an equitable healthcare system for diverse populations and communities.

Staff

Donna M. Bright, PhD, MSPH
Executive Director

Cynthia Brown, MPA
Finance and Administration Manager

Nancy Carpenter, MPH
Director, Planning and Program Development

Lauren Froomer, MSCJS
Program Manager, Community Advocacy Program

Luke Mathew, BA,
Program Coordinator, Community Voices Program

Alison Simmons, MEd
Program Supervisor, HEART Program