2025 BCHC Community Health Needs Assessment Inspires 2025-2026 DSJ Initiative
During the 2025–2026 academic year, the Harvard Medical School Office for Culture and Community Engagement (OCCE) hosted its Discovery, Service, and Justice (DSJ) Lecture series, focusing on critical social determinants shaping health in Boston. Grounded in OCCE’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and community engagement, the series fosters dialogue on systemic factors that influence health and well-being.
The series was guided by the 2025 Boston Public Health Commission Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), a community-informed report identifying key priorities affecting Boston residents, including access to healthy food, safe and affordable housing, and healthcare. The Boston Community Health Collaborative (BCHC) is a multi-sector collaboration of Boston health institutions, community organizations, and public health working in partnership with Boston communities to improve the health and well-being of Boston residents. Boston Public Health Commission serves as the central coordinating agency. Together, the BCHC strives to address public health challenges and support healthier communities.
In response, OCCE designed a three-part series featuring two webinars and one in-person session to explore these interconnected challenges.
The webinar sessions addressed food access and housing, highlighting how limited access to nutritious food and housing instability contribute to chronic disease, stress, and health disparities. Speakers emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration and community-driven solutions to improve health outcomes. The series concluded with an in-person discussion on access to care, focusing on barriers to primary, specialty, and dental services and the need for more inclusive, accessible healthcare systems.
By aligning its programming with community-identified priorities, the DSJ Lecture Series underscores OCCE’s commitment to advancing health equity through education, dialogue, and partnership—bringing together the HMS community to better understand and address the root causes of health disparities.