The Virginia Health Occupations Educators Association (VHOEA) was established in 1978 when the decision was made in the Virginia Department of Education to establish a separate service for health occupations. Prior to that time the teachers in Health Occupations were part of the Virginia Trade and Industrial Education Service (T&IES). Carol Stickney was the first Supervisor of the Health Occupations Service at the state level. While part of the T&IES, the health occupations educators (HOE) participated in a Summer Conference for an annual statewide meeting of the HOE teachers and supervisors. Beginning in 1974, the health occupations teachers elected members of the group to serve as chairman for each conference. Those serving under this structure were:

The Virginia Health Occupations Education Association was formed in 1978 in response to a need for an organization solely for health occupations educators in Virginia. Its purpose is to promote the development and advancement of health occupations education, to encourage the growth and development of those engaged in the field, and to support the programs and objectives of the Virginia Vocational Association. The VHOEA was created as a division of the Virginia Vocational Association. The Virginia Department of Education restructured the division of Vocational Education and renamed it the Office of Career & Technical Education which is aligned under the Division of Technology and Career Education. The division of Health Occupations Education (HOE) was changed to the office of Health and Medical Sciences (HAMS) at the same time of this restructure. VHOEA changed the association’s name to VAHAMSEA in 2010 to reflect the change at the Department of Education. There are seven regional constituents of the VHOEA, now VAHAMSEA: