Mission
Develop equitable opportunities that lead to healthy North Carolina Communities.
Who We Are
The North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness (NCCHW) was launched at the University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA) in 2007 to support the health of people across the state by serving as a catalyst for primary prevention and health promotion. Our mission is to develop healthy North Carolina communities with equitable opportunities, with a particular focus on addressing health disparities in the prevention and treatment of chronic health conditions.
Health equity provides an anchor for all of the NCCHW work. This term conveys that everyone deserves a level playing field, no matter what their station in life, to pursue optimal health without undue burdens beyond their control.
NCCHW champions and spearheads promising and evidence-based initiatives and practical evaluation methods to improve communities where people live, learn, work, pray, and play.
NCCHW contributes to health and wellbeing for the state’s population via a web of relationships that lead to better practices, enhanced capacity, and community innovations at strategic points across the lifespan.
NCCHW staff work in partnership with stakeholders across the UNC Asheville campus, the region, and the state to help support health service systems and providers, impact critical policies, and ignite community initiatives.
What We Do
NCCHW works to impact policy, build capacity, and ignite community initiatives by working through a web of cross-sector relationships organized around building healthier places throughout the state.
The two initiatives at the core of our organization include NCCHW’s Culture of Results (COR) empowerment evaluation training and technical assistance program and Healthy Aging NC (HANC), which provides statewide training, data reporting and management, and technical assistance for evidence-based health programs. Our work collectively improves health outcomes for historically marginalized populations statewide and builds systems to support the inclusivity and decision-making abilities of these underserved populations long term.
NCCHW’s Culture of Results initiative (COR) provides training and technical assistance in planning and evaluation methods to statewide initiatives, local public health departments, hospitals, clinics, universities, and grassroots community groups.
NCCHW’s Healthy Aging NC initiative (HANC) supports multi-sector agencies statewide to offer evidence-based health programs. Our HANC website (www.healthyagingnc.com) is a statewide hub for information, referrals, and program registration.
NCCHW’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workgroup operationalizes NCCHW’s anti-racist commitments into long-term action. Please click here to learn more.
How We Do It
Collectively, the staff:
- Leads with the vision that healthy communities need cross-sector partnerships and local leaders to produce health for all
- Collaborates with groups and people aligned with our approach to advancing health
- Evaluates with a focus on results, shared learning and skill building to measure impact
- Communicates through a mix of tools and training to inform and ignite to action
- Works with partners passionate about placing health first in efforts to drive and sustain community resilience
Where We Focus
Local UNC Asheville Campus, Asheville area, western North Carolina region, and across the state, particularly in areas with the opportunity to reduce the greatest gaps in health outcomes through partnerships and community commitment to help everyone reach their full health potential.
We are interested in audiences at strategic life points where there is a strong opportunity to set and sustain them on a positive health journey in their community.
- Young children and those who raise them
- Emerging adults and those who influence them
- Seasoned adults and those who support them