History of CFAHEC

The Florida Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Network is an extensive, statewide system for health professional education and support founded upon 10 regional Area Health Education Centers. Each center is supported by an AHEC program at one of the state’s medical schools. This organizational structure enables the AHECs to draw upon the resources of the academic health centers in addressing local healthcare issues. The Florida AHEC Network has, over this past decade, addressed the primary healthcare needs of Florida’s most vulnerable populations through a series of innovative strategies designed to:

  • Extend academic health resources
  • Provide information and support for community providers
  • Influence health professions education
  • Influence the future health professional work force

Since July 2007, the Florida AHEC Network has received funding from the Florida Legislature as part of the constitutionally-mandated appropriation to the Florida Department of Health’s comprehensive anti-tobacco program. This funding has been used to develop and successfully implement a statewide program that reduces the use of tobacco by delivering effective, evidence-based tobacco cessation services in local communities, and training programs for healthcare professionals.