 |
|
|
About Delta AHEC Through the wise use of the Arkansas tobacco settlement funds, the 7th Arkansas AHEC, the Delta AHEC, was officially established on July 1, 2001. Serving seven counties in the Arkansas Delta, St. Francis, Lee, Phillips, Chicot, Desha, Monroe and Crittenden, the State’s first rural AHEC is well equipped to meet a multitude of health care and health education needs for people of all ages. Employing more than 50 people, area-wide, the Delta AHEC is based in Helena at 1393 Highway 242 South in offices furnished by Helena Regional Medical Center. Additional offices are located in West Memphis-Delta AHEC North and in Lake Village- Delta AHEC South. Outreach offices are also located in Brinkley and in Dumas where the Community Access Program housed. Through these offices, the area specific needs of the citizens can be readily addressed. Programs to address local needs are being implemented in partnership with more than 150 different agencies. A very active Advisory Board and Consumer Advisory Groups help identify local needs and offer support. The Delta AHEC mission focuses on wellness and prevention strategies for area residents and the education of health care professionals. For example, health professionals can obtain continuing education hours at the Delta AHEC via interactive video and/or the Internet. Nursing students can obtain their RN to BSN completely over the Internet, except for clinicals, in the UAMS/ Delta AHEC program. UAMS medical students and medical residents complete one month rotations with area doctors. The popular MASH program, is designed to excite junior high and senior high school students about careers in health, is held each summer. Applications for these programs can be secured from local schools or by calling the Delta AHEC office. Smoking cessation classes are offered in all seven counties. Diabetes management, provided either one-on-one by the Delta AHEC advanced practice nurse and a registered dietician or in group sessions are available, as are individual health education sessions for people with hypertension, cancer, sickle cell and other chronic diseases. A teen pregnancy prevention program is in many of the schools and community based organizations. Exercise classes, aerobics and Tai Chi, are offered in Helena and Marvell with exercise equipment available for use by the community. A 2 week camp is held in August for children 9-11 to promote exercise, healthy eating, and fun! A health education center has been established in the AHEC libraries located in Helena, West Memphis and Lake Village, to provide opportunities for consumers and professionals to access health education materials and videos, both locally and through the Internet. Videos, brochures, and resource books can be checked out by health professionals and consumers. Tobacco settlement monies have been leveraged to secure other funds. The Delta AHEC-North in West Memphis will be a site for a Senior Health and Education Center, linked with the UAMS Reynolds Center on Aging. A federal Health and Education Training Center (HETC) grant provides culturally sensitive health education to minorities and disadvantaged, aids with recruitment and retention of health care professionals, and provides continuing education to health professionals. A Community Access Program (CAP) grant is helping build a medical infrastructure for underinsured and uninsured people in Desha and Lincoln Counties. A 5-year grant from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health provides an educational intervention to reduce farm injuries. A Farm Medic training program on how to deal with farming accidents is offered to police, fire fighters and EMTs. A Progressive Farmer Farm Safety Day Camp is conducted for 8-12 year olds. Other grants received include a Komen grant for breast cancer education, a pregnancy prevention grant from the Arkansas Department of Health, and funding from the Blue and You Foundation to support community health workers in Chicot and Desha Counties. If you would like additional information about the above mentioned programs or any other health information please contact or come by the:
|
