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Reaching Out AHECs bring health education to every region By Sally Graham
From “A’HEC of a Break” to “Bust a Move & Improve,” programs offered at UAMS Area Health Education Centers (AHEC), are addressing childhood and adult obesity in exciting ways. The AHEC program of regional centers was started in 1973 to address the shortage of health care providers in the state. Eight AHECs are spread across the state embracing innovative strategies to reach out to the communities they serve. “The AHECs serve one of UAMS’ most vital missions – to reach out to rural Arkansas with the best care and medical education opportunities available,” said Mark Mengel, M.D., M.P.H., vice chancellor for Regional Programs and executive director of the AHEC program.
South Arkansas The CATCH program is an evidence-based plan that teaches children the importance of making healthy food choices. (CATCH stands for Coordinated Approach to Child Health and is one of the largest elementary health studies in the country.) In its fourth year at AHEC South in El Dorado, the program has reached more than 1,600 chil30
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dren in first through third grades. Children learn about the concepts of why one food is better than another. Parents report that their children are now asking for whole wheat bread. Michael Fitts, Psy.D., AHEC South director, and Rebecka Wendling, community outreach coordinator, are proud of the program’s reach, with more than 88 classes in seven schools in Ouachita, Columbia and Union counties.
Southwest Arkansas Most of the anti-obesity work in the nine counties AHEC Southwest in Texarkana serves is through community education and outreach, said Patrick Evans, AHEC Southwest director. In addition to nutritional guidance and raising awareness about poor food choices, the AHEC has partnered with Arkansas Children’s Hospital to help children who are already obese. Evans reports one of the most insightful discoveries took place at the Texarkana Community Clinic where the AHEC’s licensed clinical social worker sees patients. “Kelli Cook helped us realize a side of obesity that we were not aware of,” said Evans. “She helped us to see that many women who were obese and had poorly controlled diabetics had » UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS FOR MEDICAL SCIENCES