A meadow at sunrise with red and blue flowers.

Working together to transform environments and conditions to assure health and well-being for all.

About the Center

Our Mission

Supporting community health and development through collaborative research and evaluation, teaching and training, and technical support and capacity building.

Recent Highlights

Panelists at a Public Health After Dark event on March 27, 2025, from left, Dr. Jomella Watson-Thompson, Bill Dewitt, Stacy Simmons, and Dee Kinard.

Insights from the Public Health After Dark Event on Violence Prevention, featuring Dr. Jomella Watson-Thompson.

The Lawrence Public Library hosted the Public Health After Dark event on March 27th, 2025, during which experts shared important insights into violence prevention efforts in Douglas County.
Professional Photo of Jomella Watson-Thompson

Dr. Jomella Watson-Thompson to share violence prevention expertise at "Public Health After Dark" event

Dr. Jomella Watson-Thompson is serving on a panel for "Public Health After Dark" event, March 27th from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at Lawrence Public Library.
A woman holds her child outside a home marked with an eviction notice next to stacked cardboard boxes

Douglas County tenant survey explores intersections of income, housing and violence

KU project documents the experiences of 1,051 Douglas County tenants to help the community understand how the experiences of people facing housing insecurity.
Five kids in a huddle, hugging and smiling

Monthly Webinar Training Series for Maternal and Child Health Workforce in Kansas

Christina Holt and Stephen Fawcett, together with other researchers and staff from the Center for Community Health and Development, have launched a monthly webinar training series for the maternal and child health workforce in Kansas in partnership with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The year-long series is based...

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Services

The Center for Community Health and Development offers a variety of services to support the work of promoting community health and development.

Community Check Box Evaluation System

A web-based recording, measurement, and reporting tool for community work that helps practitioners document their community change efforts and share success stories with funders and other stakeholders.
Group of people gathered around a whiteboard.

Evaluation

Our Center provides support and evaluation services for local, state, national, and international initiatives.
Open road with hills and trees on either side.

Building Healthy Communities: Online Courses

Our comprehensive courses feature 16 self-contained instructional modules for developing practical skills in core areas of community health and development.
Diverse people holding electronic devices sitting up against a green wall.

Community Tool Box Training Curriculum

Our center has developed a training curriculum based on the Community Tool Box that outlines 16 competencies for promoting community health and development.
Stack of books with a green apple on top.

Capacity Building Trainings

People taking action need skills in core areas including assessment, planning, advocacy, evaluation, and sustainability.
Young hands holding a seedling with dirt.

Community Health Assessment and Planning

Our center employs a multi-method, collaborative approach to assessing community needs and resources.
Change barometer.

Facilitation of Community Processes

Our experience includes small and large group facilitation, including coalition meetings, board retreats, town hall meetings/ listening sessions, focus groups, PhotoVoice initiatives, and collaborative community planning.
Row of whiteboards in a classroom, with sticky notes on them for things like "Access to Health Care" and "Mental Health Recognition and Treatment."

World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Community Health and Development

African mother holding her child

World Health Organization Collaborating Centre

KU's WHO Collaborating Centre for Community Health and Development received official designation by the World Health Organization in 2004. During these nearly 20 years, the Centre has worked to promote health and development with local and global partners.

About the WHO Centre

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Give to the Center for Community Health and Development
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Learn More About the Community Tool Box

The Community Tool Box is about empowering people with tools to change our world. Visit the Tool Box to discover thousands of pages of tips and tools for taking action on issues that matter.

About the Tool Box

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