South Piedmont Area Health Education Center

10/10/2026

💚 World Mental Health Day 2026 💚

This year's theme, "Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change," reminds us that meaningful progress begins by listening to those who have lived through mental health challenges.
Every person's story matters. Lived experiences offer valuable insight, deepen understanding, challenge stigma, and help create more compassionate, person-centered approaches to mental health care.

At South Piedmont AHEC, we believe that mental health is an essential part of overall health. We are proud to support the behavioral health workforce through continuing professional development, education, and training opportunities that help providers better serve their patients and communities.

Today, we encourage you to help raise awareness by sharing your story, supporting someone who may be struggling, or simply taking time to listen without judgment. Every conversation helps break down barriers and reminds others that they are not alone.

Together, we can move beyond awareness and create real change through understanding, compassion, and action.

To learn more about South Piedmont AHEC's behavioral health training and continuing education opportunities, visit the link in the comments below.

10/09/2026

📚✨ October is National Medical Librarians Month! ✨📚
This month, we proudly celebrate the dedicated professionals who connect healthcare providers, educators, researchers, students, and communities with the trusted information they need to make informed decisions and improve health outcomes.

At South Piedmont AHEC, we are fortunate to have an exceptional library team whose expertise, service, and commitment support lifelong learning and evidence-based practice throughout our region:

🌟 Alan Williams, MS-LS | Director, AHEC Library
🌟 Brenda Almeyda, MLIS | Medical Librarian
🌟 Valerie Freeman, EdD, MLIS | Medical Librarian

Whether they're helping locate critical resources, supporting research, assisting with literature searches, or connecting healthcare professionals to the latest evidence-based information, their impact is felt every day.

Thank you, Alan, Brenda, and Valerie, for your dedication to advancing healthcare through reliable information, informed decisions, and unwavering support.

Learn more about the South Piedmont AHEC Library at the link in the Comments!



Valerie Freeman Brenda Almeyda

10/08/2026

🎉 HEROES Alum Spotlight! 🎉

Please join us in congratulating Maya McClain, one of our Health Careers Education - Reaching Out to Excellent Students (HEROES) program alumni, on being named The Charlotte Post Foundation's Top High School Senior for 2026!

A recent graduate of South Mecklenburg High School, Maya has already begun her journey at North Carolina A&T State University, where she is enrolled in the Honors Biology Program. As the first person in her family to attend college, she is pursuing her dream of becoming a pediatrician.

We could not be more proud of Maya and all that she has accomplished. Her dedication, perseverance, and commitment to serving others embody the spirit of the HEROES program and the future of healthcare.

👏 Congratulations, Maya! We can't wait to see the incredible impact you'll make in the years ahead.

🎥 Check out the video news story and join us in celebrating this outstanding achievement!



North Carolina A&T State University NC AHEC National AHEC Organization

The Charlotte Post Foundation has named Maya McClain its top high school senior for 2026.

10/07/2026

🚨 You spend your career caring for others. But what happens when the weight of their trauma becomes your own?

For healthcare professionals, counselors, social workers, educators, and first responders, self-care isn't a luxury. It's an ethical responsibility.

Join us for "Secondary Traumatic Stress and the Ethical Mandate of Competence: Self-Care is a Necessity," part of the UNCC VPC–AHEC Ethics Training Series.

💡 Learn how burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress can impact professional competence and patient care, and walk away with practical, trauma-informed strategies to build resilience and sustain your well-being.

🎤 Presented by Dr. Jessica S. Lewis, PhD, HSP-P, clinical health psychologist, founder of Becoming the Whole You, LLC, and expert in trauma-informed care and provider wellness.

✅ Practical tools ✅ Ethics-focused content ✅ Real-world strategies ✅ Designed for helping professionals

Because taking care of yourself isn't stepping away from your work. It's how you continue showing up for those who depend on you.

🔗 Register today! https://www.southpiedmontahec.org/event/79054

10/07/2026

🎉 Happy National Physician Associate Week! 🎉

At South Piedmont AHEC, we know that a strong healthcare workforce is essential to healthy communities. This week, we proudly recognize the Physician Associates who provide exceptional care, advocate for their patients, and help expand access to healthcare across North Carolina and beyond.

Your dedication, expertise, and compassion make a meaningful difference in the lives of countless patients every day. Thank you for all you do to strengthen the health of our communities. 💙

Join us in celebrating Physician Associates and their incredible contributions to healthcare!

American Academy of Physician Associates

10/06/2026

🩺 Would you know how to respond when a student arrives with a head injury, suspected fracture, or burn?

Every minute matters when caring for injured children. Join us for Pediatric School Age Injuries: A Nurse's Guide to Assessment and Triage and strengthen your ability to quickly assess, prioritize, and provide appropriate care for some of the most common injuries seen in school-aged children.

In partnership with the UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursing, this engaging program will review: ✅ Fractures
✅ Burns
✅ Head injuries
✅ Risk factors and prevention strategies
✅ Appropriate assessment and triage techniques

🎤 Speaker: Andrea Biondi, DNP, NNP, CPNP, RN
Clinical Instructor, UNC Chapel Hill School of Nursing

📚 Earn 3.0 Contact Hours / 0.3 CEUs

Whether you're a school nurse, pediatric nurse, or healthcare professional caring for children, this course provides practical, real-world knowledge you can apply immediately.

👉 Register today! Link below in the comments!

10/03/2026

🚨 Most people think they would recognize human trafficking if they saw it. The truth? Many victims are hidden in plain sight.

While Charlotte has long been identified as a trafficking hotspot, human trafficking impacts communities across North Carolina and South Carolina, including small towns and rural areas where it often goes unnoticed.

Join Mark Blackwell of Justice Ministries, Inc. for Human Trafficking in the Carolinas, an important training that will explore:

✅ What human trafficking is and how it occurs
✅ Why it remains prevalent throughout the Carolinas
✅ Key warning signs and indicators to watch for
✅ How professionals, parents, educators, healthcare providers, and community members can help identify and respond

Awareness can save lives. The more we know, the better equipped we are to protect vulnerable individuals in our communities.

📅 Learn more and register today:
🔗 https://www.southpiedmontahec.org/event/78102

09/29/2026

Healthy aging is about more than adding years to life. It's about continuing to learn, grow, explore, and stay engaged at every stage of life.

As Healthy Aging Month comes to a close, we invite healthcare professionals to embrace this year's theme, "Curiosity Has No Limits," through our upcoming Aging Care Series designed to help healthcare professionals better serve older adults in our communities.

Made possible by the Carolina Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (CGWEP), these live webinars provide practical, evidence-based education on issues impacting older adults and those who care for them.

📅 October 7 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | $35
Staying Upright: Preventing Falls Later in Life

📅 October 21 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | $35
Hidden in Plain Sight: Substance Use Disorders in Later Life

📅 November 4 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | $35
Medications Matter: What's Changed in Pharmacology for Older Adults

📅 November 18 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | $35
Still Sexual, Still at Risk: Sexual Health in Older Adults

🔗 Learn More & Register Now
https://www.southpiedmontahec.org/courses-and-events?user_courses=0&search=aging%20care%20series%20CGWEP,%20CGEC®ion_id=2

09/29/2026

❤️ Heart health matters.

Today, we are sharing this video from the World Heart Federation in recognition of World Heart Day, a global campaign dedicated to raising awareness about cardiovascular disease and its impact on millions of people worldwide.

Together, we can help spread the message of prevention, education, and healthier living.

Learn more: https://world-heart-federation.org/

09/24/2026

📊 Turning Research into Real Solutions for North Carolina's Nursing Workforce

The future of healthcare depends on a strong, sustainable nursing workforce. Join nursing leaders, educators, researchers, employers, and healthcare professionals from across the state for the NC Nursing Workforce Research Fall 2026 Conference: From Data to Action – Leveraging Local Research to Solve State Workforce Challenges.

This dynamic half-day virtual conference will explore innovative, evidence-based strategies to address today's most pressing workforce challenges, including:

✅ Nurse Recruitment & Retention
✅ Workforce Sustainability
✅ Academic-Practice Partnerships
✅ Virtual Nursing & Technology Solutions
✅ Measuring the Financial Value and ROI of Nursing
✅ Rural & Community Health Workforce Development

Hear from nationally recognized nursing experts, including Cheryl Jones, PhD, RN, FAAN, and Marianne Weiss, DNSc, RN, alongside leaders driving change across healthcare and academia.

🎯 Leave with practical strategies, actionable insights, and research-backed solutions you can apply within your organization.

📅 October 30, 2026 | 8:25am - 1:15pm
💻 Virtual Event
🩺 Earn 4.25 Nursing Contact Hours

📢 Be part of the conversation shaping the future of nursing in North Carolina.

Register today!

🔗 https://www.southpiedmontahec.org/event/77522