What is AHEC?
Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) was established by the federal government in the late 1970's as programs designed to address health manpower distribution through community based initiatives. AHECs link the resources of university health science centers with local planning, educational and clinical resources. This network of health-related institutions provides multidisciplinary educational services to students, faculty and local practitioners, ultimately improving health care delivery in medically underserved areas. AHECs are academic-community partnerships that train health care providers in sites and programs that are responsive to state and local needs. Health career enhancement and recruitment programs for K-12 students are emphasized. The AHEC program is a long-term initiative, requiring major changes both in the traditional method of training medical and other health professions students and in the relationship between university health science centers and community health service delivery systems.
The Mississippi Area Health Education Center (MS AHEC) program was developed here in Mississippi in 1998, with Dr. D.M. Phillips, Chair of the Department of Family Medicine as the Principal Investigator, and Dr. Edgar Smith as Director. Currently the MS AHEC is under the leadership of Dr. Stephen Silberman with Dr. Diane Beebe as Chair of the Department of Family Medicine.
How are AHECs structured?
AHECs are administered by the Program Office, and subcontracts are established identifying centers across the state of Mississippi. Each center must be a 501(c) 3 entity; governed by a Board of Directors representing the region surrounding the center, hosted center (i.e. hospital, Community Health Center, institution of higher learning, or consortium model. A program office may receive a maximum of twelve years of core AHEC federal funding, while centers are eligible for six years of funding. The program office administers a multidisciplinary academic consortium that includes one or more nursing schools, and schools of other health professions, such as allied health and social work.
How are AHECs Funded?
The federal government, through competitive grants, provides basic/core AHEC funding; "seed monies" available to establish AHEC program and centers. The intent is to provide sufficient dollars to build the infrastructure and to develop programming sustainable through state support for activities and accomplishments that are of value to the communities served by the AHEC centers. The funding is awarded to the University of Mississippi Medical Center through MS AHEC Program Office, in turn the MS AHEC Program Office develops subcontracts to establish AHEC Centers to carry out the mission and goals in the community. A minimum of 75% of all federal dollars awarded must be subcontracted directly to the centers, with the remaining financial oversight and to develop institutional support and linkages needed by the committee. The AHEC, as their eligibility for core AHEC federal funding expires, will be supported infrastructural through Models funding and programs developed will be sustained by their local communities and agencies through other funding sources.
What is the Role of an AHEC Center?
AHEC Centers work closely with their communities to improve health-care access on the local level, but also strives to influence health professions education toward a greater emphasis on the primary-care needs of the medically underserved. AHEC participation encourages and establishes resources for health professions education programs to enhance their curricula with community-based clinical experiences, interdisciplinary training, distance education and other programs vital to students' learning. AHEC Centers also address the health care needs specific to its communities through the development of programs that raise awareness through health promotion/education; lowering incidents of health disparities in the area.
What is the Role of the Community in our AHEC Centers?
Communities are the heart of AHEC Centers. One of the goals identified for each AHEC Center is the creation of an advisory board to ensure representation and participation from across the service area. An advisory board should meet regularly to provide input and recommendations for program administration, as well as development of various health programs and initiatives. These community advisory boards identify the needs and priorities for health care professionals in their region within the scope of the board AHEC objectives.
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