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Southwest, UTHSC open HELP Center on Union Avenue Campus

By Marketing and Communications Staff
 

Pictured (R-L): Dean Sheila Bouie, Dr. Carol Ash, Southwest nursing student Deborah Christy, President Tracy D. Hall, Chancellor Peter Buckley, Dean Wendy Likes and Dr. Shelley Miller
Pictured (L-R): Dean Sheila Bouie, Dr. Carol Ash, Southwest nursing student Deborah Christy, President Tracy D. Hall, Chancellor Peter Buckley, Dean Wendy Likes and Dr. Shelley Miller


The University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s (UTHSC) College of Nursing and Southwest Tennessee Community College (STCC) have partnered to create a new and free health resource center for Southwest students and employees on the Union Avenue Campus.  

The HELP (Health Education & Lifestyle Promotion) Center, which opened with a ribbon cutting on Nov. 8, allows students, faculty, and staff to obtain physicals, referrals, and health care resources provided by a nurse practitioner on the faculty of the UTHSC College of Nursing one day per week. This is the first such collaboration between STCC and the UTHSC College of Nursing and the first health clinic established at Southwest. 

Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Affairs Diana Dedmon, DNP, FNP-BC, leads the UTHSC College of Nursing’s development of faculty practice opportunities. “Developing a student health education and lifestyle promotion center is an ongoing commitment to student well-being,” she said. “By providing the right resources and support, STCC and UTHSC can empower students to make healthier choices and lead more balanced lives, which, in turn, can contribute to academic success.”   

The HELP Center is funded by a $500,000 grant to STCC from the Centers for Disease Control’s Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases Program through the Tennessee Department of Health. Individuals will have access to educational materials and information about health promotion and disease prevention. Medication will not be prescribed, and referrals will be made if a particular service is needed. All the HELP Center’s services will be free and no insurance is needed. 

“As health care providers, we realize that some individuals may not be insured and may not understand that affordable options exist to achieve optimal health,” said Sheila Bouie, EdD, STCC dean of the Health and Natural Sciences Division. “Many of our students lack access to affordable health care. The center will enable these students and others who are uninsured to receive care that focuses on preventive health care. Helping our students achieve their educational outcomes is paramount at STCC, and a healthier student is a better learner.”

Dr. Bouie said the center also will be a convenient way for students to get physicals for work, health programs, and sports opportunities. Plans are underway to relocate the HELP Center to an expanded, permanent facility on STCC’s Union Avenue Campus in January 2024.

More information can be found at the HELP Center’s website.