The FSU Center on Better Health and Life for Underserved Populations (BHL Center) focuses on developing and testing model higher education and community-based programs to address health disparities in underserved populations. The specific mission of the BHL Center is to help underserved populations have better health and life through transdisciplinary research and program development. The underserved is loosely defined as populations that may have been impacted by insufficient social and economic resources in their lives and, as a result, have barriers that impede delivery of services. Age, race/ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status and place of residence (urban/rural) often define those who may be underserved.

BHL Center Goals:

1) Develop, implement and evaluate community-based programs to address health disparities in underserved populations;

2) Conduct research on health disparities and underserved populations that informs the program development process; and

3) Develop, implement and evaluate higher education programs to create a pool of educated and qualified graduates for the health professions who desire to work with underserved populations.