The Alabama Statewide AHEC Network is thrilled to announce the addition of three new centers: Alabama Black Belt AHEC, Alabama Delta AHEC, and Alabama Wiregrass AHEC. These centers replace the subawards with Southern Alabama AHEC, Southeastern Alabama AHEC, and West Central Alabama AHEC as the federally funded HRSA AHEC programs.

This transition marks an exciting new chapter for the Alabama AHEC Network. These new centers are poised to bring innovative programs and expanded resources to underserved communities, furthering AHEC's mission to recruit, train, and retain the Alabama health care workforce. Founded in 2012, Alabama Statewide Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Network is comprised of five AHEC Centers serving all 67 counties of the state and the statewide program office. HRSA and state-funded, the Alabama AHEC Network is guided by the Statewide AHEC Advisory Council and housed within the University of Alabama at Birmingham Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine and Department of Family and Community Medicine. Through strategic partnerships with academic programs, communities, and professional organizations, AHEC is committed to improving the supply and distribution of healthcare professionals and educating communities on health-related issues.

In addition to the productive existing centers, East Central Alabama AHEC (Gadsden) and North Alabama AHEC (Huntsville), the new centers are already making significant contributions in the following ways:

• Alabama Delta AHEC, hosted by the Mobile Area Education Foundation, offers healthcare programming for K-12 students and out-of-school youth, including career exploration, industry tours, and job shadowing.
• Alabama Black Belt AHEC, hosted by the University of West Alabama, is engaging communities with health fairs, clinical partnerships, and volunteer programs.
• Alabama Wiregrass AHEC, hosted by Troy University’s Dothan campus, provides a variety of health care training programs, including Community Health Worker Training and Medical Billing and Coding.

To learn more about the Alabama AHEC Network, please visit alahec.org or contact Interim Director Rebecca Reamey, PhD, at reamey@uab.edu.