This year, SEAHEC’s collaboration with Pima JTED (Joint Technical Education District) gave students in its Community Health and Wellness program meaningful opportunities to take their learning beyond the classroom. Through a summer internship with SEAHEC and our community partners, students gained firsthand experience in health education, outreach, and community engagement. Five students participated in the internship and completed all required community hours and have now c

The First Annual SOSA Overdose Awareness Car Show was a great success! This year was especially meaningful as 2026 marks 25 years of global remembrance, community action, and awareness efforts to end overdose. The car show gave our community an opportunity to come together, remember those impacted by overdose, share resources, and continue working to end the stigma around substance use and recovery. The SOSA Consortium is a group of local organizations working together to ad

As SEAHEC completes the first year of its Tobacco-Free Leaders (TFL) initiative, we celebrate a year filled with youth engagement, creativity, partnership, and new approaches to tobacco and vaping prevention across Santa Cruz, Cochise, and Graham counties. Throughout the year, SEAHEC worked to make prevention education more than simply sharing information. Our goal was to create opportunities for young people to participate, lead, create, and use their voices to promote heal

On March 19, 2026, community members, healthcare professionals, educators, prevention specialists, first responders, and local organizations gathered in Nogales for the 2026 SOSA Summit. This year's theme, Building Resilience. Reducing Risk., highlighted the importance of working together to support the health and well-being of our communities. Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to learn from local experts on topics related to mental health, substance use prev

On April 10, Southeast Arizona Health Education Center (SEAHEC) had the honor of participating in a community conversation at the Duncan Senior Center in Duncan, Arizona, alongside Governor Katie Hobbs. SEAHEC Executive Director Brenda Sánchez and Community Health Worker Carolina Cortez joined local leaders and community members to discuss the needs and priorities of rural southeastern Arizona communities. During the meeting, SEAHEC had a critical opportunity not only to part

SEAHEC proudly celebrated its 40th Anniversary, marking four decades of service, partnership, and commitment to improving health in rural, border, and immigrant communities across Southeastern Arizona. This milestone represents more than the passage of time, it reflects the lives touched, the communities strengthened, and the deep relationships built through trust, collaboration, and a shared purpose. For forty years, SEAHEC has remained rooted in its mission to improve healt

SEAHEC coordinated its first-ever Back-to-School event in Duncan, Greenlee County — marking a milestone for a rural area where no similar event had ever been held. Hosted at Duncan Elementary School, the event brought together local agencies, community organizations, and families to celebrate the start of a new school year and provide meaningful support to students and parents. More than 500 students and 250 adults attended, receiving essential supplies including

SEAHEC’s Community Health Worker team recently completed the Entre Nosotros (Between Us) curriculum at the Restorative Center of Circles of Peace, marking the close of six inspiring weeks dedicated to mental health, connection, and personal growth among older adults in Santa Cruz County. The closing ceremony began on a lively note with a Just Dance activity that brought laughter and movement to the group. Participants then revisited key lessons from the sessions, while th

The first annual “Más Salud, Más Vida” Senior Con ’25 brought together seniors, caregivers, and community partners for a day full of learning, movement, and connection at the Americana Hotel in Nogales. With over 100 attendees, the event was a beautiful reflection of community spirit, highlighting just how strong and engaged our senior community truly is. The morning started with “Registración y Cafecito,” where participants enjoyed coffee and traditional Mexican pastries

As we wrap up the summer and move into a new season, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what has been an incredibly busy — and deeply rewarding — Spring and Summer for SEAHEC. From expanding our community partnerships and launching new health initiatives to celebrating the success of our first-ever Senior Con and Back-to-School event in Duncan, these past months have been filled with milestones that embody our mission: advancing health equity through advocacy, education,

SEAHEC’s Community Health Advocates for Migrant Population Services (CHAMPS) Program Volunteers embodied compassion, empathy, and...

In February 2025, our “small but mighty” SEAHEC was a feature segment of Arizona Public Media televised program known as “Arizona...

The inaugural S.O.S.A. Summit united community leaders, educators, law enforcement officials, government representatives, and advocates...

SEAHEC is proud to introduce our newest Community Health Workers (CHWs), Aissa Acuña and Carolina Cortez, who joined us in January and...

Developing health education materials—such as flyers, social media posts, and handouts—plays a vital role in engaging our community....

We are excited to announce that the Migrant Healthcare Coordination Program has officially changed its name to SEAHEC - Community Health...

In late September 2024, Columbia University’ Mailman School of Public Health held its annual Alumni summit and recognized key alumni for...

On August 17, 2024, we lost our dear friend and colleague Efrain Gutierrez, a farmworker and Community Health Worker from Winchester...

In September 2024, the NIH ComPASS (Community Partnerships to Advance Science for Society) Annual Meeting was held in Bethesda, Maryland,...

I am honored to introduce myself as the new Executive Director of the Southeast Arizona Health Education Center (SEAHEC). As a...