Core Values

Our work at the Center for Community Health and Development is guided by the following values and assumptions:

• Building healthy communities means improving both the conditions in which people live and the outcomes experienced by the population as a whole.
•  Lasting improvement in health and well-being requires changes in the environmental, organizational, and policy conditions that shape behavior and influence outcomes.
• Because health and human development are shaped by multiple, interconnected factors, no single program or intervention is sufficient on its own.
• Since environmental influences operate across many settings and contexts, meaningful change depends on coordinated action across multiple sectors and systems.
• People who live in a community—especially those most affected by inequities—must be active partners in identifying priorities and changing local conditions.
• Justice requires health and well-being for all, including communities that experience greater exposure, vulnerability, and harm due to structural and social conditions.
• Improving health for everyone requires addressing broader social determinants such as social inclusion, income equity, and collective efficacy—the ability of people to influence the conditions that affect their lives.
• Collaborative partnerships serve as catalysts for change by convening key stakeholders, building relationships, and mobilizing resources.
• The role of support organizations is to strengthen community capacity to address what matters most to people over time and across issues.
• Community health and development depends on interdependent relationships among many partners, recognizing that no single organization or sector can achieve meaningful impact alone.