The NYC Preparedness & Recovery Institute has adopted a new mission, vision, and approach to guide its work in strengthening New York City’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies.
In 2021, the City of New York selected Columbia University to launch and operate the NYC Preparedness & Recovery Institute (PRI), with its key partner, the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy (CUNY SPH). Adopted on April 1, 2026, the updated framework reflects PRI’s continued commitment to collaboration, community partnership, equity, and evidence-based action.
Mission
The NYC Preparedness & Recovery Institute (PRI) develops and supports collaborative solutions to address public health emergencies that impact the city.
Vision
A resilient New York City where, together, individuals, communities, and institutions withstand and recover from public health crises.
“Our new mission and vision reflect what we have learned through years of partnership across New York City,” said Wafaa El-Sadr, Global Director for ICAP at Columbia University and lead for NYC PRI. “Public health preparedness depends on trust, coordination, and sustained investment before emergencies happen. PRI is committed to helping New York City build the relationships, systems, and shared capacity needed to meet future crises together.”
Approach
Create cross-sector partnerships that center community voices in preparedness and recovery efforts
Develop solutions that are practical, equitable, and evidence-based
Advance readiness across all sectors of society
“This updated approach gives PRI a clear path forward,” said Ayman El-Mohandes, Dean of the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy and lead for NYC PRI. “It sets the stage for working across community organizations, government, academia, health systems, and private sector to identify needs, test solutions, and strengthen readiness across the city.”
The new framework also reaffirms PRI’s role as a convener and partner, supporting practical strategies that are grounded in the experiences of New Yorkers and responsive to the city’s evolving public health landscape.
“PRI’s new mission, vision, and approach reflect an important truth: resilience cannot be built in silos,” said Ian Straughter, Chief Program Officer at Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation and PRI Governing Board Member. “As climate-related risks like flooding increasingly impact neighborhoods such as Central Brooklyn, PRI’s commitment to cross-sector collaboration and community-centered preparedness will be critical to ensuring vulnerable communities are not left behind in moments of crisis.”
“Community partnership is essential to preparedness and recovery,” said Dr. Lucy Cummings, Director of Faith Sector Resilience at New York Disaster & Interfaith Services (NYDIS) and PRI Advisory Council Member. “In a crisis, people turn to the relationships they already trust. Often those connections are local clergy, community leaders, and neighbors who know the community well and can respond quickly. This framework reflects the importance of building and sustaining those relationships before an emergency happens.”
Through this updated framework, PRI will continue working with partners in New York City and beyond to build readiness, strengthen recovery, and support more resilient communities before, during, and after public health emergencies.