AHEC Tobacco Program
at the FSU College of Medicine

The Area Health Education Center (AHEC) at the FSU College of Medicine was established as part of the authorizing legislation which created our 21st century medical school. Located in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, the AHEC program supports the College’s mission and has a focus on developing clinical training opportunities for students in rural areas and supporting the College’s wide-ranging youth mentoring programs. The FSU AHEC Program is part of an extensive, statewide network of university and community based AHECs.

In July 2007, the Florida legislature appropriated funds to establish the AHEC Tobacco Training and Cessation Program. The overall goal of the AHEC Tobacco Training and Cessation Program is to strengthen the capacity of Florida’s healthcare system to deliver effective evidence-based tobacco use treatment. The FSU AHEC has a unique focus on training the behavioral health workforce to deliver tobacco cessation treatment and better serve the needs of people with mental health and substance abuse disorders whose extremely high tobacco use rates exacerbate existing health disparities.

In 2010, FSU AHEC established its Tobacco Treatment Specialist Foundation Course which is an internationally recognized training program that is accredited by the Council for Tobacco Treatment Training Programs. 
 

Meet the Team

A group of eight women in professional attire poses outdoors, with one holding a colorful dog figurine.

 

AHEC Website Navigation Menu

The Tobacco Treatment Specialists logo features a maroon icon of an instructor at a whiteboard with three students, accompanied by matching maroon text on a tan background.
The acronym "AHEC" is centered in maroon capital letters on a solid tan rectangular background.
The Resources for Health Professionals logo features a maroon medical professional icon and text on a tan background.

The Community of Practice for Behavioral Health Organizations logo features a maroon brain profile icon and text on a tan background.

The Tobacco Education Conference logo features a maroon illustration of three books next to the event name on a tan background.
The Resources for Tobacco Users logo features a maroon no-smoking icon and text on a tan background.
The U.S. Public Health Service banner features white text detailing a clinical practice guideline for tobacco use treatment and a blue cloud-and-arrow download icon on a maroon background.

 

Office Contacts

Susan LaJoie, DrPH, APRN-c
Director, AHEC Program
College of Medicine 1115 West Call Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4300
Phone: 850-645-9765