Newly established in January, 2000, the College of Public Health is the first of its kind in the Southwest. Based at the Arizona Health Sciences Center, the college was designed to consolidate and build upon previously established public health partnerships throughout the state. It focuses on health promotion, prevention of disease, and public health education. Research programs involve health promotion in border communities, smoking prevention and cessation, women's health, substance abuse among youth and environmental hazards along the Arizona/Mexico border.