UCSF HEAL Initiative

Medi-Cal protects our friends, neighbors and loved ones. Protecting our healthcare means protecting each other.

Like many of you, the HEAL team is still reeling from the actions of the US executive branch to cut global health funding, fire thousands of essential government employees, and carry out mass deportations. HEAL sits at the nexus of the impact of these actions. From our fellows in Malawi who no longer have the funding to treat patients at their HIV clinic, to our colleagues on the US/Mexico border where patients are scared to access health care for fear of ICE raids, to our Indigenous fellows and colleagues who fear for their job security due to notices of mass firings and then the recession of those orders — the ripple effects are already catastrophic. We know we have a responsibility to our patients and the communities we serve. As healthcare workers on the front line, we see ourselves as the eyes and ears of real-world impacts of decisions made in Washington. Right now, to serve our communities means to stand together and advocate alongside them. HEAL will continue training, mentoring, and connecting healthcare workers serving resource-denied communities around the world. We will continue to be a safe space for our community to grieve, find strength, and take collective action to create a world where the most underserved communities have access to the quality care they deserve.? In solidarity,? HEAL Team

Health workforce serving underserved communities are often too few, isolated, and under-supported. From Navajo Nation, to our most populated cities, Global Health Corps and UCSF HEAL Initiative know that a diverse population needs a well supported, diverse workforce who understand and advocate for the communities they serve.

"This moment demands action—not just to repair what’s been broken, but to build something stronger, fairer, and more sustainable. With a workforce that is supported, connected, and equipped to innovate, America’s health system can stand up to the weight of future crises." America’s #HealthWorkforce is in crisis––facing #burnout, vacancies, and policy attacks that threaten both workers and the communities they serve. In this article, our CEO Heather Anderson and UCSF HEAL Initiative's Director and Co-Founder Dr. Sriram Shamasunder argue that investing in mentorship, training, and leadership development—like the programs at GHC and HEAL—can help build a stronger, more sustainable #PublicHealth system. Read more ??

For a decade, The Health, Equity, Action, and Leadership (HEAL) Initiative has trained and transformed healthcare workers serving underserved communities around the world. In this time of fear and unease, our mission remains more critical than ever. We’re proud to share our Decade of HEALing report – a reflection on the impact of our fellows, the lessons we’ve learned, and our vision for the future. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/gKw3dmgi #HealthEquity #GlobalHealth #Solidarity

A doctor working at a remote hospital notices his friends are drinking and smoking a lot. Everyone does it so this feels normal. He joins our University of California, San Francisco Psychiatry UCSF HEAL Initiative fellowship and wonders, are they just burnt out and their coping style is causing more problems? He bands together with other fellows and they come up with a plan to see how bad things are. Fast forward 1.5 years and they developed and tested a simple intervention to assess and reduce burnout among rural healthcare workers. Congratulations to Raj Dangal, Eva Studer, Tula Krishna Gupta, Kristin Nguyen, and Amit Suneja on publishing this organically developed global health intervention!

Teaching and mentoring?UCSF HEAL Initiative?fellows has always been reliably energizing, especially with the current threats to global health.? Check out our work from the last decade ??

Thank you, Julia Pettengill and The Schooner Foundation, for your continued dedication and support of our vision to support health workers to thrive in underserved communities while expanding access to world-class care.

Fortaleciendo liderazgo local en comunidades globales a través del aprendizaje y la colaboración.?? Del 9 al 12 de enero de 2025, representantes de Malawi, PIH Central, México y Estados Unidos se reunieron en California para participar en el?Training of Trainers de HEAL. Este evento internacional permitió desarrollar estrategias clave para facilitar el aprendizaje, construir comunidades locales y dise?ar programas con impacto global. En representación de México,?Cristina Valencia y Antonio García?participaron activamente, compartiendo la experiencia y el compromiso de CES en iniciativas que fortalecen las capacidades locales y fomentan el trabajo en equipo. Esta colaboración será fundamental para continuar con el proyecto de la segunda generación, integrando los conocimientos adquiridos durante el evento. ?Gracias a UCSF HEAL Initiative por crear espacios que inspiran y conectan esfuerzos globales en beneficio de nuestras comunidades! ???? ?? Aquí algunos momentos destacados. #TrainingOfTrainers #HEAL #ColaboraciónGlobal #Capacitación #SaludGlobal #CES

Earning trust does start with honest conversations! Those conversations should include acknowledging the atrocities these communities endured as well as those they continue to endure. As we at Interim Visits Magazine shared in our article that featured Adriann Begay, a Navajo physician, the United States spends more money for the healthcare of prisoners than it does for Native Americans. The average US citizen doesn't realize that most Native women don't have access to prenatal care or birthing centers. The UCSF HEAL Initiative continues to train and transform healthcare professionals by initiating honest conversations and immersing them in cultural awareness of those they serve.