Area Health Education Centers

For programmatic or technical questions:
Christina Lottie
301.287.2602
AHECProgram@hrsa.gov

For grants management or budget questions:
Curtis Colston
301.443.3438
ccolston@hrsa.gov

The Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program provides grants to develop and enhance education and training networks within communities, academic institutions, and community-based organizations. In turn, these networks support the Bureau of Health Workforce's strategic priorities to increase diversity among health professionals, broaden the distribution of the health workforce, enhance healthcare quality, and improve healthcare delivery to rural and underserved areas and populations.

Required activities include:

• Develop and implement strategies to recruit individuals from underrepresented minority populations and from disadvantaged and rural backgrounds into health professions
• Develop and implement strategies to foster and provide community-based training and education to individuals seeking careers in health professions within underserved areas
• Conduct and participate in interdisciplinary training that involves physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, dentists, psychologists, pharmacists, optometrists, community health workers, public and allied health professionals, or other health professionals
• Facilitate continuing education and information dissemination for health care professionals, with an emphasis on providing care in underserved areas and for health disparity populations
• Propose and implement effective program and outcomes measurement and evaluation strategies
• Establish a youth public health program to expose and recruit high school students into health careers, with a focus on careers in public health

Public or nonprofit private accredited schools of allopathic medicine and osteopathic medicine and incorporated consortia made up of such schools, or the parent institutions of such schools are eligible. In states and territories in which no AHEC program is in operation, an accredited school of nursing is an eligible applicant.

Estimated total program funding: $43,250,000
Estimated number of awards: 55
Project period: 5 years

Award amounts will be based on the number of centers an awardee has. Awards per center are anticipated to range between $148,000 - $250,000 per year.

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and online application process are available through grants.gov.