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{{Program
{{Organization
|ProgramName=Area Health Education Centers
|OrganizationName= Area Health Education Centers
|ProgramType=Program
|OrganizationType= Administrative and Support Agency
|OrgSponsor=Health Resources and Services Administration
|Mission= To enhance access to quality healthcare by improving the supply, diversity, and distribution of health professionals. It fosters academic-community partnerships to train and retain practitioners in rural and underserved areas.
|CreationLegislation=Health Professions Educational Assistance Act of 1971
|OrganizationExecutive= Director
|Purpose=To enhance the distribution, diversity, and quality of the health workforce by fostering partnerships between academic health centers and underserved communities, aiming to improve access to health care in rural and urban under-resourced areas.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bhw.hrsa.gov/funding/apply-grant/area-health-education-centers |title=Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) |accessdate=January 30, 2025}}</ref>
|Employees=
|Website=https://bhw.hrsa.gov/funding/apply-grant/area-health-education-centers
|Budget= $44.3 million (FY 2024)
|ProgramStart=1972
|Website= https://bhw.hrsa.gov/programs/area-health-education-centers-ahec
|InitialFunding=
|Services= Health Workforce Training; Community Education; Continuing Education; Pipeline Programs
|Duration=Indefinite
|ParentOrganization= Health Resources and Services Administration
|Historic=false
|TopOrganization= Department of Health and Human Services
|TopOrganization=Department of Health and Human Services}}
|CreationLegislation= Public Health Service Act
'''Area Health Education Centers (AHECs)''' are a network of institutions across the United States designed to enhance health professional education, particularly in underserved areas. They aim to recruit, train, and retain health care providers to improve health care access, diversity, and quality in both rural and urban settings.
|Regulations=
|HeadquartersLocation= 39.093665, -77.205064
|HeadquartersAddress= 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857
}}


== Mission ==
'''Area Health Education Centers (AHEC)''' is a federally funded program established by Congress in 1971 under the Health Resources and Services Administration to address healthcare workforce shortages by developing education and training networks that connect academic institutions with underserved communities across the United States.
The mission of AHECs is to increase the supply, distribution, diversity, and quality of health care professionals, especially in primary care, by fostering community-academic partnerships, supporting educational programs, and promoting health careers among underrepresented groups.


== Parent organization ==
{{Official URL (simple)|url=https://bhw.hrsa.gov/programs/area-health-education-centers-ahec}}
AHECs are not a single parent organization but operate under various state programs, often with oversight from state health departments, universities, or medical schools. They are supported by the [[Health Resources and Services Administration]] (HRSA) within the [[Department of Health and Human Services]].


== Legislation ==
==Mission==
The AHEC program was established by Congress in 1971 to address health workforce shortages in underserved areas, authorized under the [[Public Health Service Act]]<ref>https://www.hrsa.gov/rural-health/ahec</ref>.


== Number of employees ==
The Area Health Education Centers program works to improve healthcare delivery in rural and underserved regions by recruiting, training, and retaining a diverse health workforce, with a focus on primary care providers. Through its network of over 300 program offices and centers in 48 states and Washington, D.C., AHEC supports students and professionals via community-based education, continuing education, and youth pipeline programs, aiming to reduce disparities in healthcare access and quality.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bhw.hrsa.gov/programs/area-health-education-centers-ahec |title=AHEC Program |publisher=Health Resources and Services Administration |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
The number of employees varies widely depending on the scale and structure of each state's AHEC program, with each center employing staff for administration, education, and community outreach.


== Organization structure ==
==Parent organization==
* Central Program Office manages overall coordination and policy at the state level
* Regional AHEC Centers focus on local community needs and partnerships


== List of programs ==
The Area Health Education Centers operates under the [[Health Resources and Services Administration]], an agency within the [[Department of Health and Human Services]] that oversees workforce development and healthcare access initiatives nationwide.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hrsa.gov/about |title=About HRSA |publisher=Health Resources and Services Administration |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
* AHEC Scholars Program provides interdisciplinary training for health professions students
* Health Career Pipeline Programs to introduce K-12 students to health careers
* Continuing Education for practicing health professionals
* Community Health Education and Outreach initiatives


== Last total enacted budget ==
==Legislation==
Budgets vary by state, but federal funding for the national AHEC program in recent years has been around $40 million annually<ref>https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/data-reporting/program-data/ahec</ref>.


== Leader ==
The AHEC program was authorized by the [https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2021-title42/pdf/USCODE-2021-title42-chap6A-subchapII-partD-subpartii-sec292.pdf Public Health Service Act], specifically under Title VII, Section 751, as amended, with initial implementation spurred by the 1970 Carnegie Commission report and enacted in 1971.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bhw.hrsa.gov/programs/area-health-education-centers-ahec |title=AHEC Program |publisher=Health Resources and Services Administration |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
There is generally a '''Director''' for each AHEC center, with overall leadership at the state level often termed '''State AHEC Director''' or similar.


== Services provided ==
==Partners==
AHECs provide a range of services including community-based health education, career development for potential health professionals, continuing education for current practitioners, and support for health promotion and disease prevention initiatives. They also facilitate clinical rotations for students in underserved areas.


== Regulations overseen ==
* Academic institutions like medical and nursing schools for training programs
While AHECs don't directly oversee regulations, they must comply with federal and state regulations regarding education, health services, and grant management. They also influence health workforce policy through their educational and outreach programs.
* Community-based organizations for local healthcare delivery<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalahec.org/mission-history |title=Mission & History |publisher=National AHEC Organization |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
* State and regional AHEC centers for program implementation


== Headquarters address ==
==Number of employees==
There is no single headquarters since AHECs are spread across states; each state has its own central office location.


== Website ==
The exact number of employees is not centrally reported, as AHEC operates through a decentralized network of over 300 program offices and centers, with staffing varying by region and reliant on federal, state, and local contributions.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalahec.org/mission-history |title=Mission & History |publisher=National AHEC Organization |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
There's no unified national website, but each state's AHEC program has its own site. For example, California's AHEC is at https://cal-ahec.org/.


== Wikipedia article ==
==Organization structure==
wikipedia:Area Health Education Centers
 
The AHEC program is a national network coordinated by HRSA with regional autonomy:
 
===Leader===
 
The Area Health Education Centers program is overseen by a Director within HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bhw.hrsa.gov/about |title=About BHW |publisher=Health Resources and Services Administration |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
 
===Divisions===
 
The divisions include:
 
* Program Offices for national coordination and grant management.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bhw.hrsa.gov/programs/area-health-education-centers-ahec |title=AHEC Program |publisher=Health Resources and Services Administration |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
* Regional Centers for state-specific training and education initiatives.
* Community Partnerships for local implementation and outreach.
 
==List of programs==
 
* AHEC Scholars Program for health professions students<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalahec.org/ahec-scholars |title=AHEC Scholars |publisher=National AHEC Organization |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
* Continuing Education for Health Professionals
* Health Careers Pipeline Programs for youth
 
==Last total enacted budget==
 
The last enacted budget for the AHEC program was $44.3 million for FY 2024, as allocated through HRSA’s appropriations.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hrsa.gov/about/budget |title=HRSA Budget |publisher=Health Resources and Services Administration |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
 
==Staff==
 
The AHEC program’s staff includes administrators, educators, and coordinators spread across its network, with no centralized count; regional centers employ directors, support staff, and educators tailored to local needs, totaling thousands indirectly supported by AHEC funding.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalahec.org/mission-history |title=Mission & History |publisher=National AHEC Organization |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
 
==Funding==
 
Since its inception in 1971, AHEC has been funded through annual HRSA appropriations, with FY 2024 at $44.3 million, supplemented by state matching funds and local resources to sustain its network of over 300 centers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bhw.hrsa.gov/programs/area-health-education-centers-ahec |title=AHEC Program |publisher=Health Resources and Services Administration |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
 
==Services provided==
 
The AHEC program provides health workforce training through community-based education, supports continuing education for practicing professionals, develops youth pipeline programs to encourage health careers, and fosters partnerships to improve healthcare access in underserved areas.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bhw.hrsa.gov/programs/area-health-education-centers-ahec |title=AHEC Program |publisher=Health Resources and Services Administration |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
 
==Regulations overseen==
 
The AHEC program does not directly oversee regulations but operates under HRSA guidelines to ensure compliance with federal health workforce training standards.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bhw.hrsa.gov/about |title=About BHW |publisher=Health Resources and Services Administration |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
 
==Headquarters address==
 
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857
 
==History==
 
The Area Health Education Centers program was established in 1971 following recommendations from the 1970 Carnegie Commission report, “Higher Education and the Nation’s Health,” enacted under the Public Health Service Act to address shortages of healthcare professionals in underserved areas, growing into a network of over 300 centers by leveraging federal and state partnerships.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalahec.org/mission-history |title=Mission & History |publisher=National AHEC Organization |access-date=March 08, 2025}}</ref>
 
==Related==
 
See Also Links to related programs articles or organizations:
 
* [[Health Resources and Services Administration]]
* [[National Health Service Corps]]
* [[Bureau of Health Workforce]]
 
==External links==
 
* [https://bhw.hrsa.gov/programs/area-health-education-centers-ahec Official Website]
* [[wikipedia:Area Health Education Centers Program]]
* [https://www.nationalahec.org/ National AHEC Organization]
 
==References==


<references />
<references />
[[Category:Health Resources and Services Administration]]
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