Center for Health & Social Issues

Our Mission

The purpose of the Center for Health & Social Issues is to improve the health and well-being of residents throughout Central Georgia through collaborative campus and community partnerships. We advance this mission by providing opportunities for research, education, outreach, and engagement focused on contemporary health challenges and social issues.

Our Vision for a Healthier Community

We believe health extends beyond the absence of illness. Physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being are interconnected, and each plays an important role in helping individuals and communities thrive. Guided by this holistic view of health, CHSI focuses its efforts on four strategic goals:

• Reduce Health & Social Disparities
  Work to address inequities and barriers that impact the health and well-being of individuals and communities throughout Central Georgia.
• Strengthen Campus & Community Partnerships
  Build and enhance meaningful partnerships between Georgia College & State University and organizations, professionals, and communities across the region.
• Create & Sustain Healthy Communities
  Develop and support initiatives that empower individuals and communities to make lasting, positive changes in their health and quality of life.
• Advance Evidence-Informed Health & Social Policy
  Promote the use of research, evidence, and informed decision-making to address health and social issues and strengthen policies that impact our communities.

Together, these goals guide Center for Health & Social Issues in turning knowledge into action and partnerships into meaningful community impact. As an institution of higher learning, Georgia College & State University has a responsibility to use its knowledge and resources to make a positive difference. The Center for Health & Social Issues brings these resources beyond campus by connecting academic expertise with community needs to promote healthier individuals, stronger partnerships, and a healthier Central Georgia.

A logic model provides a clear visual framework for understanding how the Center for Health & Social Issues' resources, partnerships, and activities work together to create meaningful health outcomes for Baldwin County. It connects the inputs and activities that support our programs with the populations we serve, measurable outputs, and short-, mid-, and long-term outcomes we aim to achieve. 

The Center for Health & Social Issues Programmatic Logic Model illustrates our commitment to reducing the burden of illness, strengthening community partnerships, expanding access to health resources, and creating healthier communities throughout Baldwin County.  

The Center for Health & Social Issues recognizes that many residents in Central Georgia face barriers such as lack of insurance, transportation, and other limitations that may prevent them from seeking medical care. Hence, our mission is to bring essential primary preventive health services directly to the community. The provision of nutrition education, CPR training and demonstration to at risk or interested groups often leads to early detection of conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes.  Many individuals screened at these events are unaware they are living with these conditions, highlighting the critical need to increase both our reach and frequency of screenings.