Creating a New Kind of Doctor
We recruit and train physician leaders as comfortable taking on systemic challenges in health as caring for individual patients.
ARE YOU ONE?
In This Section
Overview
Academics
How to Apply
Graduate Medical Education
Financial Aid
Why Dell Med?
Student Resources
More Information
PLAN
Application Timeline
EXPLORE
Continuing Medical Education
PREPARE
Programs for Youth & Undergrads
Radical Collaboration. Real-World Impact.
Texas expertise fuels the discovery, delivery and diffusion of the next generation of preventions, diagnoses, treatments and cures.
LET'S GO
In This Section
Overview
Faculty Research Labs
Strategic Research Programs
Shared Research Facilities
Research Resources
More Information
ATTEND
Research Events
Explore
Latest News & Discoveries
Research Commercialization at UT
MEET
Office of Research Team
World Class. Close to Home.
We’re working to make person-centered, integrated care the standard in Central Texas and beyond.
Health Starts Here
Helpful Links
Overview
Announcing UT Medical Center
More Information
GET CARE
UT Health Austin
EXPLORE
UT Medical Center
Meet Dell Med
We’re rethinking the role of academic medicine in improving health — and doing so with a unique focus on our community.
ABOUT US
Helpful Links
Overview
Directory
Units: Departments & More
Leadership
Mission & Vision
Alumni
Strategic Plan
Reports
More Information
GIVE
Support Dell Med
CONTACT
Addresses, Phones & More
EXPLORE
News & Events
Overview Overview Academics How to Apply Graduate Medical Education Financial Aid Why Dell Med? Student Resources PLAN: Application Timeline EXPLORE: Continuing Medical Education PREPARE: Programs for Youth & Undergrads
Overview Overview Faculty Research Labs Strategic Research Programs Shared Research Facilities Research Resources ATTEND: Research Events Explore: Latest News & Discoveries Explore: Research Commercialization at UT MEET: Office of Research Team
Overview Overview Announcing UT Medical Center GET CARE: UT Health Austin EXPLORE: UT Medical Center
Overview Overview Directory Units: Departments & More Leadership Mission & Vision Alumni Strategic Plan Reports GIVE: Support Dell Med CONTACT: Addresses, Phones & More EXPLORE: News & Events
Make an Appointment Give Faculty Students Alumni Directory

​Community-Driven Initiatives

Two women gardening.

Community-Driven Initiatives is a program of the department’s Division of Community Engagement and Health Equity that seeks to support and implement health solutions proposed by and for residents of Austin and Central Texas communities. Led by Carmen Valdez, Ph.D., the team advances ideas by fostering partnerships, advising on areas of opportunity, promoting leadership development and much more.

Community-Driven Initiatives conducts all of its work with an eye toward community servanthood. Contact the team at CDI@austin.utexas.edu.

Focus Areas

To support the best ideas for improving community health, the team focuses on the following.

  • Identifying persons in Austin, Travis County and Central Texas who have ideas to improve the health of their communities and neighborhoods. Since the places individuals live and work in influence health, who best to enhance the health of a community than those who live and work there?
  • Addressing social determinants of health. The team’s aim is to implement local solutions and scale those that improve the health of surrounding communities.
  • Identifying and supporting exceptional people and ideas that may otherwise not have a source for support, ensuring their community impact and sustainability. The team works to connect the people most impacted with resources to fully test new and exciting ideas.
Helpful Links