Convening people. Connecting possibilities. Catalyzing change.

The Institute for Community Health and Well-Being helps Kansans thrive by connecting people, ideas and evidence. Our goal is to create pathways from knowledge to action that improve health, strengthen communities and expand opportunity for all Kansans.

The institute is the connective infrastructure, the backbone, that allows K-State to pursue the kind of bold, systems-level change that only happens when people work together across disciplines, sectors and communities.

Let's work together to build a larger vision of health and well-being throughout Kansas.

Why K-State?

We have what it takes to make a difference. As a next-generation land-grant university, coordinating these efforts and amplifying our impact isn’t just our goal — it’s our purpose.

We take a systems approach to address complex challenges. Our collaborators include:

• Researchers
• Extension professionals
• Students
• Community leaders
• Policymakers
• Nonprofits
• Health care organizations
• Funders and foundations
• Industry partners

What is community health?

All levels of health and well-being are interconnected. Healthy individuals contribute to healthy institutions, healthy institutions contribute to healthy communities, and healthy communities create environments that support the well-being of individuals. By working across all three levels, we can create lasting, systemic change that improves health and well-being for everyone.

Health is more than the absence of disease. As the World Health Organization defines it, health means complete physical, mental and social well-being, shaped by everyday conditions such as housing, food, connection and economic opportunity. It also depends on the interplay between individuals, institutions and communities, each shaping the others' well-being. Kansans experience these factors not as separate issues but as interconnected systems, and that is where the institute works.