In 2006, The Department of Community Health Sciences was awarded a three year grant exceeding $1 million dollars. The Mississippi Area Health Education Center received monies from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for area health education centers.  The Mississippi Area Health Education Center sub-granted The Department monies to establish the Southern Area Health Education center, one of four area health education centers in the state. 

Vision:  The Mississippi Area Health Education Center is a statewide program that focuses on the elimination of health care disparities and increasing the availability, acceptability, and access of quality health care for all medically underserved populations and citizens in identified Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA).  The AHEC also seeks to optimize the awareness and prevention of disease, to promote healthy outcomes for all, and to enhance the view of health care as important for economic growth and development.