CCHEq Co-Director Jamila Michener, PhD, recently testified at the “Examining Pathways to Universal Coverage” hearing in Washington, D.C. sponsored by Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform. The goals of the hearing were to evaluate the need for expanded access to affordable health care reform, examine how uninsured and underinsured status particularly impacts the health outcomes of historically marginalized communities, and discuss how universal coverage could advance health equity. Dr. Michener highlighted the role of disparate access to care and coverage, as well as differential treatment, and cited key examples of systemic racism’s negative impact on the health outcomes of Black and Indigenous people in the United States. Dr. Michener also explained the association between access to affordable health care coverage and a strengthened democracy, sharing research linking health care coverage to improved voting rates, civic involvement, sense of inclusion and meaningful influence. She concluded that equal, universal access to affordable health care is not only humane and ethical, but helps to fulfill the promise made by this country for inclusion of all people. Dr. Michener was joined by other national experts interested in closing existing gaps in the current health care system.

In late 2021, Colleen Barry, Inaugural Dean of the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, announced that the Cornell Center for Health Equity (CCHEq) was joining the Brooks School: “I am pleased to share that the Cornell Center for Health Equity (CCHEq) will move into the Brooks School from the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs. The Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy brings together scholars across disciplines to tackle the biggest public policy challenges we face as a society, both in the U.S. and globally. Our mission is to make positive change in the world.” The Cornell Brooks School was launched in September 2021 and is preparing to graduate its first class of undergraduates, professional masters, and doctoral students this May.

Jamila Michener and Jeff Niederdeppe continue to serve as Directors of CCHEq along with Monika Safford at Weill Cornell Medicine. As new additions to the Brooks School senior leadership team, Dr. Michener serves as the Associate Dean of Public Engagement, and Dr. Niederdeppe serves as the Associate Dean of Faculty Development. According to Dr. Niederdeppe, “The partnership between CCHEq and the Brooks School offers the center a strong institutional home and new opportunities for our center members and partners to collaborate in policy-related research, education, service, and advocacy that are central to the center’s vision and mission.” The move provides CCHEq with a shared administrative infrastructure, as well as the ability to more closely integrate efforts with other policy-related entities such as the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs, Cornell Population Center, Institute of Politics and Global Affairs, Cornell in Washington Program, and Sloan Program in Health Administration.

Congratulations to Daisy Torres-Baez, MS, Diversity Programs Coordinator for the Diversity Center of Excellence (DCOE) on being the recipient of the 2022 Diversity Administrative Staff Award! The staff award is for an administrator or a staff person whose work has helped to build a culture of service and diversity at Weill Cornell.

Home health care workers are one of the fastest growing sectors of the healthcare industry, providing essential hands-on care to older adults and those with chronic conditions who want to age in place. Despite their integral role, home health care workers face numerous challenges on the job. In this seminar, Drs. Sterling and Avgar will present empiric data from several studies on specific challenges that rural workers face in providing care. These projects identify opportunities for interventions and policies to improve working conditions and by extension, high quality patient care in rural settings.

Assistant Professor of Medicine

Division of General Internal Medicine

Weill Cornell Medicine

Professor, ILR School at Cornell University

Associate Dean for Outreach and Sponsored Research