Office of Community Engagement
Academic Health Department
Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health’s Office of the Associate Dean of Community Engagement and is committed to partnering with local health departments to establish and formalize Academic Health Departments. Academic Health Departments are mutually beneficial partnership designed to enhance public health instruction, practice, research, and workforce development to improve health in counties throughout Arizona.
The college has a long history of partnerships with local health departments throughout Arizona. Academic Health Departments strengthen the links between public health practice, research, training, and service though leveraging existing partnerships and establishing opportunities for new collaborations.
Academic Health Departments are structured differently in each county or tribal reservation and are designed to benefit the health needs of each community.
More information on Academic Health Department core concepts may be downloaded as a PDF from the Public Health Foundation's website.
The Office of the Associate Dean of Community Engagement and Outreach has established Academic Health Departments with Pima County Health Department, Cochise Health and Social Services, and Pinal County Health Department. Academic Health Departments with Yuma County Health and Social Services and Graham County Health Department are underway.
Cochise Health and Social Services
Cochise Health and Social Services and Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health began the discussion of formalizing an Academic Health Department in early 2020 and the Academic Health Department was officially established in September 2020.
Graham County Health Department
Graham County Health Department and Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health are in the process of formalizing their Academic Health Department. Collaboration highlights include:
Pima County Health Department
In June 2019, the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and Pima County Health Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Academic Health Department. This mutually beneficial partnership is designed to enhance public health instruction, practice, research, and workforce development to improve health in Pima County. Download the Memorandum of Understanding.
The Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and Pima County Health Department has a long, successful partnership. The signing of the MOU celebrates the organizations’ strong relationships and commitment to further strengthen the links between public health practice and academia.
During the summer of 2019, representatives from Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and Pima County Health Department formed a planning committee to develop the Academic Health Department’s Inaugural Work Plan for the 2019-2020 academic year.
Pinal County Public Health District
Pinal County Public Health District and Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health established an Academic Health Department in October 2020.
Yuma County Public Health Services District
Yuma County Public Health Services District and Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health are in the process of establishing an Academic Health Department.