History and Partnership

A study commissioned in 2003 by The Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, Marty Markowitz, found that given the racial, ethnic, socio-economic and health status of Brooklyn’s population, there is a significant need for the creation of a center that addresses health disparities. The report further recommended that SUNY Downstate Medical Center be the site for a Health Disparities Center, given the expertise, academic excellence and resources existing at Downstate. As the only medical research institution in Brooklyn, Downstate is especially well-equipped to serve as the academic center to address health disparities issues in this community.

The SUNY Downstate Medical Center, in collaboration with the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health created the Brooklyn Health Disparities Center. Working with the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President, a proposal

was developed in response to the request for applications issued by National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Funding was obtained in 2004 under the R24 mechanism to establish the Center. Such initiative gave rise to a National Institutes of Health Project EXPORT: Excellence in Partnerships for Community Outreach, Research on Health Disparities and Training.

Founding Members

Left to right: Luther T. Clark, MD, Chief Division of Cardiovascular Medicine,
John C. LaRosa, MD, President, SUNY Downstate Medical Center,
Yvonne Graham, MPH, Brooklyn Deputy Borough President,
Ruth Browne, ScD,MPH, Chief Executive Director,
Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health

BROOKLYN FIRST AND ONLY HEALTH DISPARITIES CENTER
National Institutes of Health Give $1.1 Million Grant to support Brooklyn’s First
Center on Health Disparities

Press Release (PDF Document)