North Central AHEC
131 East 5th Street
Covington, KY  41011
Phone: (859) 442-1191
Fax: (859) 581-0589

Staff

Rose Mueller, BA, MA Center Director

Email Rose Mueller at: Rose.mueller@kctcs.edu

Promotores de Salud (Health Promoters)

Since 2002, the NC AHEC has offered an innovative health education program, promotores de salud, for Latino community members.  The 13 week program is open to volunteers who agree to share their newly acquired health knowledge and skills with family, friends and neighbors. The free classes, taught in Spanish by local health care providers, address a wide range of health topics, including childhood  illnesses, women’s health, dental health, mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence, child abuse,  family planning and pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic illnesses.  Participants learn to take temperature and blood pressure, and are certified in first aid and CPR. A special focus of the program is helping the participants learn about the local healthcare system, especially clinics and health departments that provide services in Spanish.

Over 180 Latino community members have completed the promotores classes, which are held yearly in both Lexington and northern Kentucky. The promotores share their knowledge at health fairs, other community events, and serve as a link between clients and health care providers.

Health Careers Showcase

Every year, the NC AHEC sponsors the annual Health Careers Showcase for high school students in northern Kentucky who are interested in pursuing a health career.  Students from over 22 area schools have an opportunity to  talk with health professionals and college faculty members about a wide variety of health careers.  Exhibits and displays help students learn about the job responsibilities, educational requirements, salary levels, working conditions and job outlooks of over 20 different careers. An assortment  of hands-on activities and medical devices allow the students to obtain a feel for various health occupations.  The yearly Showcase reaches over 600 students with information designed to help them chose and enter a health profession.

Health Career Explorers Program

The Health Career Explorers program is targeted to high school students in grades 10-12 who want to learn more about specific health careers. The students meet monthly in a northern Kentucky hospital  to visit various clinical areas, interact with health professionals, and experience the atmosphere in each area. Each meeting focuses on a different health profession, such as nursing, respiratory therapy, radiology or others. Students can try  hands-on skills such as taking vital signs or use demonstration models to start an IV or perform a lab test.

Since the program began in 2003, 184 students have completed the nine-month program.  Because the program is so popular with students, it has expanded to three area hospitals.

For more information, please see the North Central AHEC web site.