Michael J Blackwell, DVM, MPH
Director, Program for Pet Health Equity
Phone: 865-974-9216
E-mail: [email protected]
Program for Pet Health Equity
Michael Blackwell, DVM currently serves as the Director of the Program for Pet Health Equity, Center for Behavioral Health Research, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His mission is to improve access to veterinary care, especially for families with limited means. He chairs the Access to Veterinary Care Coalition.
The Program for Pet Health Equity (PPHE) exists to improve access to veterinary care for pets and their families not adequately served by the current system. We promote and facilitate national collaborations and public policy development, to remove barriers to veterinary care. Our activities include education, community service, and social and public health research. PPHE is developing AlignCare, the first One Health healthcare system that addresses the needs of people, their pets, and their ecosystem, which is largely defined by socioeconomics. We connect families with veterinary service providers, while leveraging community resources and activities.