Engage. Support. Advocate.
We work with communities, nonprofits, legislatures and the justice system to advance health, resilience, and social justice for all New Mexicans with the goal of supporting thriving communities and healthy people.
A Vision of Health Equity Across New Mexico
The communities we work with often have inadequate local wealth or too few residents to support high quality services, infrastructure and economic development. This impacts everything from health care to education to transportation.
Without public programming to offset the lack of incentives for private investment, underserved communities would have little or no basis for continued existence. Governments can play a significant role in the infusion of resources in small, remote and underserved places. Our programs, services and advocacy help create and foster an environment in which those connections are made, so communities have a voice, participate in solutions and co-create healthy communities.
Our Journey
In 1995 Hidalgo Medical Services opened its doors as a joint project between UNM’s Office of Community Health and the people of Hidalgo County with the goal of providing basic health care services in a county that had none. Over time, the organization extended its reach, added more programs and services, and in 2015 spun off as a nonprofit in its own right to become the Southwest Center for Health Innovation. More prevention and health education programs were added, advocacy work continued, and in 2018 the National Network of Public Health institutes designated SWCHI a public health institute in its own right. In 2020, having expanded services across New Mexico, the organization became The Center for Health Innovation Public Health Institute. Today we continue to build and connect solutions at the local, state and national levels.
