The Adams Chair of Excellence in Health Care Services was established by the late Dr. Carl Adams and Mrs. Jennie Mae Adams. Dr. and Mrs. Adams understood that the delivery of health care and human services poses complex challenges. Throughout their extensive careers providing health care to Middle Tennessee residents, they knew that these challenges might begin with the individual but could impact public policy as well as the social structure of the entire community. Dr. Adams' concern for the quality and quantity of health care professionals to address these issues led him to establish the Adams Chair of Excellence in Health Care Services at Middle Tennessee State University.

The Adams Chair of Excellence is currently vacant due to the recent retirement of Dr. Martha Jo Edwards, Ed.D. , who was selected as the first full-time Adams Chair of Excellence in 1992.  The Adams Chair historically has worked in tandem with the Center for Health and Human Services (CHHS).  Currently, the CHHS is fully staffed and active, with some of its work and efforts focused on worforce related initiatives.  All calls and inquires at this time are being directed to the Center. Until 2015, the Center for Health and Human Services was the platform to support the work of the Adams Chair of Excellence. The Tennessee Board of Regents formally approved the Center in 1993. Dr. Edwards, the Center's founding Director, and the staff focused on developing partnerships, both internal and external to the University.  They collaborated with MTSU faculty, public agencies, and private not-for-profit organizations to develop and implement programs designed to improve the health of the middle and greater Tennessee community.  The Center now reports to the College of Graduate Studies and Research and remains active with multiple workforce development activities and externally funded research and projects on current and pressing public health issues important to the health and well-being of Tennesseans and that of the nation.

Departments and programs affiliated with the chair consist of those that prepare graduates in health and/or human services. This coalition of academic units varies in focus but shares the common goal of preparing the health and human services workforce in Tennessee.

For a complete history, timeline, and details on research and other activities of the Adams Chair, please view a special 25th anniversary retrospective publication published by the University in 2018.