The goal of the Community Outreach component is to develop and implement a comprehensive community outreach strategy. Because VCU has broad community representation and alliances in women’s health activities, it is our intention to use our current programs as springboards to strengthen partnerships and to expand efforts. Our CoE partners with many agencies in the community to offer accessible women’s health screening services and educational outreach throughout the Richmond area. Our plan is to strengthen these existing partnerships and merge our efforts to reach out to the communities in which the greatest health disparities exist.

We have a number of outreach projects that are targeted towards ethnic minorities and underserved populations.  Many of these projects have become sustainable because they are embedded in existing structures and resources in the community. Our plan is to continue, grow, and develop them by further engaging the lay leadership of community organizations and agencies that share our mission.

VCU is a founding partner of Women’s Health Virginia, a statewide initiative to promote and improve the health and well-being of women and girls in Virginia. The VCU Institute for Women’s Health has also hosted numerous community events, including health fairs, health promotion screening, and seminars at churches, schools, retirement communities, and the YWCA.

The Women’s Health Network for Consumer Health Outreach, which provides bilingual and culturally sensitive health education, was established in October 2001 through a contract from the National Library of Medicine. The Network addresses women’s health needs in three ways: training in using the Internet for consumer health information needs, maintaining a Website, and sponsoring monthly speakers on health topics. (As of July 2007: Please note that the Women's Health Network Website is no longer updated regularly.)

The Women’s Health Resource Center at Stony Point was created to encourage women to make informed decisions about their health and to provide tools for women to become active partners in their care. In partnership with VCU Libraries this resource center is a part of “Community Outreach Information Network” (COIN) with a mission of increasing access to high quality health information by providing comprehensive, exemplary health education resources and programs to women and their families. 

Director of Outreach:
Sheryl Garland, MHA, Vice President for Outreach, VCU Health System