Health Education Training Center
AHEC Program

Introduction

In 1990, HETC Programs were formed in order to address healthcare needs of underserved populations in border and non-border areas in the United States. Border states are those states which occupy regions along the border between Mexico and the United States and in Florida. Non-border states address the needs of urban and rural populations with serious unmet needs that live away from the US-Mexico border and Florida (such as Appalachia and regions in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky and South Carolina). Non-border states as well as border states attempt to assist communities impacted by unmet health needs of minority and migrant populations by forming partnerships with health service agencies, schools and other organizations.

Mission

The USF College of Medicine HETC Program undertakes to improve the supply, distribution, quality and efficiency of personnel providing health services in urban and rural areas with serious unmet health care needs that are being further impacted by immigration, migration and refugee influx. Populations within the following target areas are the focus of the USF HETC: south and east Hillsborough counties, East Pasco County, the city of Tampa, DeSoto and Manatee counties

Within the target areas, the USF HETC Program:

  • Recruits students from minority populations of underserved communities into primary care health fields including medicine, nursing, and other health professions;
  • Trains health professionals and students in multiethnic/multicultural health care and health care issues;
  • Provides patient and community health education to priority populations, with a strong emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion;
  • Provides resources that will assist primary care providers to stay current in their fields of practice and initiate community-based programs and initiatives in areas of critical need.

HETC Project Funding

Annually, Gulfcoast North Area Health Education Center and Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center look for possible HETC projects to fund by issuing RFPs (Request for Proposals). These projects should address unmet health needs in minority and migrant populations. The RFP process begins in the fall of each year and applicants are notified of acceptance during the winter of the next year. Specific questions about the process can be directed to the following contacts:

Gulfcoast North Area Health Education Center, Inc. (Hillsborough-Pasco HETC)
  • Serves South and East Hillsborough counties, East Pasco County, City of Tampa
  • Contact: Maureen Weir 813-929-1000
Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center, Inc. (Southwest HETC)

Current Projects

Committed Action to Community Health (CATCH) Health Fairs

Medical students of the University of South Florida College of Medicine originally developed this program to screen and educate people at risk for hypertension. This program has evolved to become a student-run organization  to encourage students to participate in  interdisciplinary health education and screening efforts within high risk, medically underserved communities. Within the past few years, the program has grown considerably, with USF public health students serving as bilingual interpreters, physical therapy students conducting musculoskeletal assessments and medical and nursing students conducting blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and height and weight screenings.  

Each year, at least two Committed Action to Community Health health fairs are held in Hillsborough County. These disease prevention and health promotion fairs help students develop consideration for the dignity of all persons by promoting cooperation in an interdisciplinary group endeavor and interaction with people in a culturally/ethnically diverse community. The events foster commitment to community service and inspire other students through examples of dedication, creativity and leadership.

Medical Spanish

Continuing education courses in Medical Spanish are offered several times each year (sponsored by Gulfcoast North AHEC & Gulfcoast South AHEC and their respective HETCs). Instructors are drawn from a variety of health professions. Students participating in this course will learn basic Spanish language skills with an emphasis on communicating across cultures in the health care setting. This course will enable students to communicate more effectively with Spanish-speaking patients in a health care setting. The course is designed for non-speakers of Spanish and those with limited Spanish-speaking skills.

This course meets the requirements for 30 contact hours of continuing education credit for nurses and mental health providers. Students may have the option of enrolling in this course for two semester hours of academic credit.

Cost of materials is $50. See brochure for specific information on class dates, times and contact information.

Medical Interpreting

Although many different groups of people continue to come to Florida, Hispanics/Latinos are the largest linguistic minority. As per the last census Hispanics/Latinos represent 17 percent of the total population in the state, and this is expected to increase to close to 25 percent by 2030. The complexity of the health care setting, an inadequate number of bilingual/bicultural health care providers and the time that it takes for adults to acquire a new language make medical interpretation a necessity.

Medical interpreting services can reduce language and cultural barriers, as well as increase adherence to treatment by improving the health care encounter between providers and patients. Other demonstrated benefits of medical interpreting are decrease in misdiagnosis and liability; cost effectiveness; better use of time; improved patient flow; reduction of no shows; retention of both patients and providers; and better health outcomes for patients with limited/no English speaking skills.

Gulfcoast South AHEC, Inc. offers a 10-15 hour course in medical interpreting. The course is appropriate for bilingual persons (Spanish/English) who interpret in a health care setting or are interested in working or volunteering as interpreters.

To obtain more information about Medical Interpreting, contact: Edna Apostol, Executive Director, Gulfcoast South AHEC, Inc., at 941-361-6602, eapostol@health.usf.edu.

For more information about the Health Education Training Center at the University of South Florida AHEC Program, contact: LaToya S. Clark, MPH, Coordinator Diversity Initiatives at 813-974-3507, lclark2@health.usf.edu.

 USF HSC
Area Health Education Center Program
University of South Florida
College of Medicine
12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC76
Tampa, Florida 33612-4799
Phone:  813-974-3507
Fax:  813-974-3605
© 2004-2005 University of South Florida AHEC Program.  All rights reserved.  For permission to reproduce any material on this site, contact Cynthia S. Selleck, AHEC Program Director: cselleck@health.usf.edu.