Are you a healthcare professional looking to better support children and families dealing with weight-related health concerns? Brenner FIT® invites you to take the lead in your clinic with our comprehensive, self-guided online course:
Pediatric Obesity Management: Become the Expert in Your Clinic.

🧠 What You’ll Learn

This five-part learning series is designed by Brenner FIT’s multidisciplinary team to empower providers with practical, evidence-based tools. The course focuses on:

• Creating positive health habits in a safe, family-centered way
• Using Ellyn Satter’s Division of Responsibility framework for feeding and activity
• Communicating about weight with sensitivity and confidence
• Guiding parents to reduce mealtime pressure and build structure
• Fostering stronger family communication and trust

Whether you're a pediatrician, nurse, dietitian, or behavioral health provider, this training will help you approach pediatric obesity with compassion, clarity, and confidence.

📚 Why This Course Stands Out

Unlike traditional weight-focused interventions, this course emphasizes behavioral change and family dynamics over numbers on a scale. You’ll gain tools to:

• Shift the conversation from weight to wellness
• Support families in building sustainable routines
• Address feeding challenges without blame or shame

💻 Flexible, Self-Paced Learning

The course is entirely online and self-guided, allowing you to learn at your own pace and revisit materials as needed. It’s perfect for busy professionals who want to deepen their expertise without disrupting their schedules.

✅ Ready to Get Started?

Register today and become the go-to expert in your clinic for pediatric obesity management.
👉 www.nwahec.org/75771

Presented by Northwest AHEC & Wake Forest University School of Medicine

This fall, Northwest AHEC is offering a dynamic lineup of behavioral health webinars designed to equip professionals with the latest tools, strategies, and insights to support mental wellness across diverse populations. Whether you're a clinician, counselor, social worker, or behavioral health advocate, these sessions offer valuable continuing education and practical knowledge.

1. Assessments and Levels of Care: Guiding Clients to the Right Treatment

📅 Date: September 26, 2025
🕘 Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
📍 Format: Live Webinar
👩‍🏫 Speaker: Erica K. Smith, MSW, LCSW

This session provides a comprehensive overview of clinical assessments and screening tools used to determine appropriate levels of care for children, adolescents, and adults. Learn how to make informed referrals and navigate the behavioral health system effectively.

🔗 Register Here
📄 Download Brochure

2. Advanced Application of DBT Skills

📅 Date: October 10, 2025
🕘 Time: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
📍 Format: Live Webinar
👩‍🏫 Speaker: Rebecca Edwards-Powell, MSW, LCSW

Designed for professionals familiar with DBT, this workshop focuses on strengthening clinical application through skills training groups, behavioral strategies, and role-play techniques. 

🔗 Register Here
📄 Download Brochure

3. Identifying and Addressing Anxiety and Trauma-Related Disorders in Adolescents

📅 Date: October 15, 2025
🕘 Time: 9:00AM-12:15PM
📍 Format: Live Webinar
👩‍🏫 Speaker: Sarah E (Betsy) E. 'Betsy' Bledsoe , PhD, MPhil, MSW

This program is designed to help practitioners become more familiar with identifying the signs and symptoms of anxiety and trauma related disorders in adolescents.

🔗 Register Here
📄 Download Brochure

4. Experienced SUD Professionals Panel: Sharing Their Expertise, Wisdom, and Hope

📅 Date: October 22, 2025
🕘 Time: 1:00PM-3:00PM
📍 Format: Live Webinar

👩‍🏫 Speakers: 
Jesse Battle, MSMHC, LCMHC, LCAS, CCS
Tuesday Feral, LCMCHA (they, them)
Leslie D. McCrory, Retired Counselor
Geraldine A. 'Geri' Miller , PhD, LP, LCAS, CCS
Paul D. Nagy, LCAS, LCMHC, MS
Daniel H. Wilemon, M.Ed., LCMHCS, LCAS, CCS

Join a panel of seasoned substance use disorder professionals as they share insights, lessons learned, and hopeful perspectives on recovery and treatment. This interactive session is perfect for those seeking inspiration and practical guidance.

🔗 Register Here
📄 Download Brochure

🎓 Continuing Education Credits

Each session offers CE hours for psychologists, social workers, counselors, and other behavioral health professionals. Details are available on each registration page.

Over the last several months, the Northwest AHEC nurse educators have worked on reviewing and submitting files for the North Carolina Nurses Association’s (NCNA) re-approval.

Complete one or both of the interactive, self-paced eLearning modules on your computer or mobile device. Earn free contact hours!

PART 1 - About 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes, with 90-95% of those having Type 2 Diabetes. (CDC) The majority of these people receive health care in the primary care setting (Pilla et. al). Physiologically, diabetes affects multiple organ systems, as well as the emotional well-being of the affected person. Medicine regimens can be complex, especially for an older person with other chronic conditions. To enable the practice staff to support the person with Type 2 Diabetes, this course uses case studies of familiar patients seen in primary care. Practical office-based clinical assessment and patient education concepts are presented. Basic pharmacology of diabetes drugs, laboratory tests used to assess and monitor the disease and common physical exam findings are covered. Register online at www.nwahec.org/75805

PART 2 - Managing diabetes requires much more than taking medicines and visiting the primary care provider’s office---lifestyle changes at the heart of a person’s very self are needed. People with diabetes are 2-3 times more likely to have depression than those without diabetes (CDC). Typically considered a lifelong chronic condition, Type 2 diabetes requires the affected person to incorporate it into their self-image and work every day on difficult behavior changes. Mood disturbances may also be the result of physiologic changes caused by the illness, or from medication side effects. Building on the foundation of Part 1 of this series, this module focuses on the impact a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes can have on the mental health of patients they see in primary care. Register online at www.nwahec.org/75808

Part 2 builds on the case study presented in Part 1, so you are encouraged (but not required) to take both modules.

There is no charge for either online course. Course registration is generously supported by the Division of Health Benefits.

Falls are the leading cause of injury among older adults—but they don’t have to be. With the right tools, knowledge, and care planning, healthcare professionals can make a life-changing difference. That’s where our free, interactive eLearning module comes in.

👩‍⚕️ Why This Training Matters

Every year, millions of older adults experience falls that lead to serious injuries, hospitalizations, and even loss of independence. Yet, many of these incidents are preventable. This self-paced course, “Falls: Screening, Risk Assessment and Care Planning for Older Adult Patients in the Community,” is designed to equip ambulatory care clinical staff with the skills to identify and reduce fall risks—before they happen.

Using the CDC’s STEADI framework (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries), this course walks you through:

• 📊 Effective screening and risk assessment techniques
• 🧠 Patient-centered communication strategies
• 🛠️ Practical workflows for primary care settings
• 🧩 Care planning tailored to each patient’s needs

💡 What You’ll Gain

• Real-world tools to integrate fall prevention into your daily practice
• Confidence in addressing fall risks with patients and families
• Free contact hours to support your professional development
• Flexibility to learn anytime, anywhere—on your computer or mobile device

Whether you're a medical assistant, nurse, or provider, this course is built with your role in mind. It’s not just about checking a box—it’s about helping your patients live longer, healthier, and more independent lives.

🚀 Ready to Get Started?

Don’t wait to make a difference. Click here to register now and take the first step toward safer aging in your community.

We’re thrilled to announce that registration is now open for the Moving Mountains and Community Conference, taking place October 13–14, 2025, with a preconference day on October 12, at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.

Are you a clinical preceptor looking to sharpen your teaching skills and support the next generation of healthcare professionals?

Northwest AHEC is offering a FREE online Clinical Preceptor Training program designed just for you!

This self-paced training includes four 30-minute modules that cover:

✅ Foundational preceptor skills

✅ Integrating health equity into clinical education

✅ Communication strategies for diverse learners

✅ Recognizing and accommodating different learning styles and cognitive needs

Take advantage of this no-cost opportunity to grow professionally and enhance the learning experience for your students.

Learn more and register here

Northwest AHEC was proudly represented at the 2025 National AHEC Organization (NAO) Conference held June 17–20 in Lexington, KY. Northwest AHEC staff - Nedra Edwards Hines, Reed Burger, and Melanee Mills joined over 600 attendees from AHECs across the country to engage in meaningful dialogue, share best practices, and explore innovative strategies to strengthen the AHEC mission. 

Dr. Ebru Karpuzoglu is an immunologist and molecular medicine researcher, and the Chief Scientific Officer and CEO of Aveseena. Dr. "Ebru" discusses "inflammaging," a condition where inflammation and premature aging occur simultaneously, triggered by factors such as stress, diet, and harsh skincare practices. She elaborates on how environmental aggressors, including certain endocrine disruptors found in plastics, can mimic hormonal effects and disrupt the body's systems, emphasizing the importance of storing food in glass containers and avoiding plastic bottles left in heat. The conversation also covers the dangers of topical estrogen in skincare without medical supervision, contrasting it with physician-monitored hormone replacement therapy.

Dr. Ebru highlights the skin's role as the first line of immune defense, protected by its microbiome and immune system. She explains that while acute inflammation is beneficial, chronic low-grade inflammation (inflammaging) is undesirable. The discussion also touches on the balanced approach to sun exposure for Vitamin D synthesis, recommending early morning or evening sunlight with SPF for protection, and the benefits of red light therapy for skin health. Finally, she validates the scientific basis of grounding, explaining that the human body is an open system that reacts to environmental energies. 

Can those suffering from migraine get relief without medication? Find out in episode 116 of the Healthcare Insights in Northwest North Carolina!