In 2001, the Schools of Public Health and Medicine received funding from the GlaxoSmithKline Foundation to establish a university-wide program that would serve as a central location for health disparities activities. Today, ECHO continues to bring campus resources and research and training expertise together; to develop innovative initiatives to address disparities; and to establish mutually beneficial partnerships between UNC and NC communities.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Program on Ethnicity, Culture and Health Outcomes continues to explore new and innovative partnership and collaborative opportunities to move forward with its mission to improve the health of North Carolina communities by eliminating racial and ethnic health disparities through multidisciplinary and culturally sensitive research, education and training. It accomplishes this through its Research, Community and Education initiatives.