November 19, 2015 saw our official launch. The event convened over 60 invested citizens, representing a diversity of community organizations and research agendas at Western University.

CRHESI is a joint initiative of community and academic partners led by Western University’s Faculty of Health Sciences and the London InterCommunity Health Centre, bringing together multiple community organizations and university faculties.

Remarks celebrating the launch of this important initiative came from Mayor Matt Brown stressed the value of a university-community partnership to advance anti-poverty and health equity work in London and the surrounding area. Michelle Hurtubise and Helene Berman, CRHESI Co-directors, spoke about the values and impetus behind CRHESI. “Questions of health equity and social inclusion cut across many disciplines and service areas, impacting the wellbeing of Londoners in real and direct ways,” said Helene Berman, also Associate Dean of Research at the Faculty of Health Sciences at Western. “This partnership allows us to study these issues from a multitude of perspectives and areas of expertise with an end goal of improving the health and well-being of people in our community.”

The enthusiasm was echoed by Jim Weese, Dean of Health Sciences, and Mark Daley, Associate VP of Research, both from Western University. Heather Lokko, Associate Director, Oral Health, Communicable Disease & Sexual Health Services at the Middlesex-London Health Unit brought remarks from the Middlesex-London Health Unit. To read Heather’s perspective on CRHESI, click here.