The Diversity and Community Engagement Office offers a range of opportunities, resources, and events both within and beyond the health system. We promote inclusion and equity for patients and families, team members, and community members throughout the region.
Our Mission
To cultivate an inclusive community that embraces, values, and celebrates diversity and creates an engaging, equitable environment.
Learn more about our mission and goals.
Our Commitment to Health Equity
A world-class academic health system with community care throughout Virginia, UVA Health serves a diverse range of communities facing health disparities. Promoting equity for those we serve is central to our mission. In fact, we made cultivating healthy communities and belonging for all one of the three main goals in our 10-year strategic plan.
Key steps we’re taking to promote equity include:
- Asking patients screening questions to learn what disparities they face, so we can connect them with resources to help
- Building community partnerships
- Giving financial help
- Offering more primary care appointments
- Expanding telehealth options to make appointments easier to attend
- Neighborhood health initiatives to give people more access to care where they live
- Population health programming, like interactive home monitoring, the Homeless consult service, the Community Paramedicine Program, and the Virginia at HOME Program
Workforce Development
We’re also working to reduce disparities with our Earn While You Learn program. Participants earn a competitive salary while training for a needed healthcare role. The program helps people train for in-demand healthcare careers without going into debt.
Community Partnerships & Engagement
Learn more about our work in the communities we serve.
Inclusion at the Core
Inclusion and equity are foundational to our overall aims to:
- Be the best place to work
- Give value-based care
- Deliver quality and safety that create superior outcomes
We want every patient to have the best care experience.
A Welcome From Dr. Downs
Tracy Downs, MD, FACS, discusses his role as UVA Health's inaugural Chief Diversity and Community Engagement Officer. View diversity transcript.
Inclusion in our Environment
UVA Health promotes health equity through services and programs for patients and families. These include:
- Care for refugee and immigrant families at the international clinic
- Language help from interpreters and translators
- Geriatric care and support services for seniors
- Affirming LGBTQ healthcare, including transgender healthcare services
- A range of disability services
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge the Monacan People as the traditional custodians of the land in and around Charlottesville.
Get in Touch
Contact us with your comments or concerns.
Melody Pannell, Director
Contact Melody by email or call 434.243.8526
Jackie G. Martin, Director of Community Partnerships and Health Equity
Contact Jackie by email or call 434.243.8352
