Throughout the 2024–2025 academic year, interprofessional teams of health professions students—including AHEC Scholars—partnered with Cumberland County Jail (CCJ) to provide wellness activities for residents during a series of evening sessions. Students designed and led a diverse range of workshops focused on arts and crafts, reentry resources, movement, stress relief, and nutrition.
This collaboration offered students valuable, hands-on experience working directly with individuals impacted by the criminal legal system. It also deepened their understanding of the unique challenges faced by this population, while delivering meaningful support and resources to CCJ residents.
The CCJ Wellness Program would not be possible without Trisha Mason, Director of WCHP Service Learning at UNE. Trisha was instrumental in the program’s inception and in cultivating a strong relationship with the Cumberland County Jail staff to grant students access to the facilities. Over the years, she has successfully brought students into CCJ, and the AHEC team is honored to have partnered with her this year to extend this community-based experiential training (CBET) opportunity to AHEC Scholars. We look forward to continuing our partnership with UNE Service Learning and Cumberland County Jail in the years to come.
