NC Center for Health & Wellness

Fostering health opportunities for all North Carolinians.

The NC Center for Health & Wellness (NCCHW), embedded in the University of North Carolina Asheville, collaborates with campus, community, and clinical partners to advance health and wellness opportunities across the state. We work to influence policy changes through research and education, build capacity among networks of providers, transform data systems, and implement innovative initiatives. Collectively our work builds resources to impact conditions and improve health outcomes for various populations across North Carolina, particularly for populations that have been historically and are currently disenfranchised from economic and social resources and opportunities.

Our primary initiatives include Healthy Aging NC, Culture of Results, WNC Health Policy Initiative and the Health Policy Research Consortium. We engage UNC Asheville faculty, staff and students across these areas, conducting research, developing resources, deepening partnerships, and implementing supportive projects. Please visit our web pages to learn more and get involved.

What We Do
Our Work
Scorecards
Impact Maps
Campus Engagement
Our Staff

Our Mission

Who We Are

We believe that everyone deserves a level playing field, no matter station in life, to pursue optimal health without undue burdens beyond one’s control.

What We Do

We work to influence policy changes through research and education, build provider capacity, transform data systems, and implement innovative initiatives statewide.

NCCHW is fully funded by grants and contracts. Federal funding sources include the US Dept. of Human Services (Administration of Community Living) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State funding comes from the Human Services Injury and Violence Prevention Branch, and the Dogwood Health Trust funds our regional initiatives.

Healthy Aging NC

Connects people to programs and agencies that support adults as they age, including those with disabilities or chronic illness.

Culture of Results

Assesses population conditions, strengthens coordination and strategic planning, evaluates impact, and improves programs.

Collaborative Work

Conducting research, advocating for policy improvements, developing programs, training the workforce, and communicating about health.

WNC Health Policy Initiative

The WNC HPI serves as a convener of and conduit for information, resources, and coalition-building between policy makers, health leadership, community-based organizations, educational institutions, and community members. Co-hosted by MAHEC and supported by Dogwood Health Trust.

Campus Engagement

Diverse opportunities to engage students, faculty, and staff in actively partnering with communities to build healthier places in NC.

Health Policy Research Consortium

An inter-institutional partnership conducting and disseminating research to inform policy changes for WNC health and wellness.

Scorecards

NCCHW uses scorecards to track and communicate progress on our core initiatives over time. These data-driven reports document our impact across communities statewide and support accountability to our partners and funders.

View Scorecards

Impact Maps

There have been a total of 967 CDSME workshops offered across the state during the past ten years. The Living Healthy with Chronic Disease Self-Management Education workshops are designed to help people with chronic disease(s) and their caregivers gain self-confidence in their ability to control their symptoms and learn how their health problems affect their lives.The counties without color are targeted growth areas.

To learn more about CDSME, click here.

The NC Aging Network has offered 1,166 total workshops over the last ten years (between 9/1/2014 and 2/1/2024). These workshops include “A Matter of Balance” and “Tai Chi for Arthritis.” The counties without color are targeted growth areas.

To learn more about Falls Prevention, click here.

Campus Engagement

NCCHW offers diverse opportunities to engage students, faculty, staff, and community members in actively partnering to build healthier places throughout North Carolina — including right here on campus. Through our collaboration with the Wellness Evaluation Lifestyle Lab (The WELL), housed within the UNC Asheville Health and Wellness Department, we provide comprehensive cardiovascular and fitness assessments, performance fitness assessments, body composition tests, and health coaching — all performed on campus in a professional and confidential environment by trained staff, and available to UNCA students, faculty, staff, and community members alike.