It was a picture-perfect, and sometimes emotional, afternoon Wednesday, as members of the North Omaha and UNMC/Nebraska Medicine community gathered to celebrate a new initiative with one singular goal: Improve the health of those who live in North Omaha.
It was all to celebrate the official opening of the Community Wellness Collaborative (CWC), located in the Highlander neighborhood, near 30th and Patrick streets.
“I hope this collaboration is a demonstration of our willingness to do whatever we can to gain trust and build relationships with this community to reduce the impact of health disparities,” said Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, UNMC chancellor.
“This work is critically important to who we are as a health system but, more importantly, who we are as Nebraskans,” said Ada Walker, JD, Nebraska Medicine vice president-chief inclusion and diversity officer.
The overall mission of the CWC is to connect the people who live in the area with health resources. Specifically, those who work at the CWC will provide support and resources through education, training and building career pathways.
“We cannot provide health care without a health care work force,” said Jim Linder, MD, CEO of Nebraska Medicine. “This collaboration will allow us to better meet the community’s needs while demonstrating how one can build a career in health care. It was a no-brainer.”
“The CWC will let us be more proactive about putting preventive measures in place to improve the health of our community,” said Shanda Ross, director for engagement, outreach and belonging with Nebraska Medicine. “We’re thrilled to become part of the neighborhood, listen to members of our community and see how we can transform lives.”
The first-of-its-kind facility is part of the Highlander neighborhood’s purpose-built communities’ revitalization efforts to support residents and tenants in and around the area. With a goal of helping reduce disparities within the 68111 ZIP code area, the med center’s programming and initiatives will start with its community health needs assessment and improvement plan and move efforts forward in partnership with community members.
“This puts us in direct contact with the young men and women who have a dream but don’t have access to the people who can help them realize it,” said Dele Davies, MD, senior vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at UNMC.
Leaders plan to work with Highlander residents to determine what barriers to healthy lifestyles currently exist and how to best break down those barriers. They also plan to use the space to help with career opportunities, to recruit and host community pathway programs and to hold community engagement days and informational sessions.
Said Heidi Keeler, PhD, assistant vice chancellor for the UNMC Office of Community Engagement, “Having a joint presence at the Highlander with our clinical partner, Nebraska Medicine, creates a win for our organizations and more importantly for the people in North Omaha. The CWC will enable us to create new ways to improve health equity among the community and create a diverse workforce.”
Congratulations Ada, Shanda, & Heidi!! Looking forward to internally and externally collaborating with you all!!! Hey neighbor!
This is awesome progress for the community and us as an organization. I look forward to working with all of the community partners and under the leadership of Ada, Shanda and Dr. Keeler, it surely will be a success!
Congratulations! Excited to see the progressional North Omaha community impact the Community Wellness Collaborative will have and excited to be a part of the journey.
Congratulations on achieving this groundbreaking initiative to address reducing health disparities in North Omaha! It would be momentous to improve the quality of life of Highlander residents.