Area Health Education Centers Program

Background
The Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Bureau of Health Workforce. The program aims to develop and enhance education and training networks within communities, academic institutions, and community-based organizations. Its goal is to increase diversity among health professionals, broaden the distribution of the health workforce, enhance health care quality, and improve health care delivery to rural and underserved areas and populations.

Grant Details
The AHEC Program exists in two phases: AHEC Infrastructure Development (ID) and AHEC Point of Service Maintenance and Enhancement (POSME). The ID phase involves initiating, planning, developing, operating, and evaluating an AHEC program for up to two years of the five-year project period. The POSME phase focuses on improving the capacity and effectiveness of the program through ongoing evaluation for up to one year of the five-year project period. The program contributes toward increasing access to care for underserved individuals and communities through academic and community partnerships that create training opportunities for health professions students and health care professionals.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include public or non-profit private accredited schools of allopathic or osteopathic medicine, an incorporated consortia made up of such schools, or the parent institution(s) of such schools. In states with no existing AHEC Program, schools of nursing may apply for an award in the infrastructure development phase.

Period of Performance
The period of performance for the grant is from September 1, 2022, through August 31, 2027, spanning a total of 5 years.

Grant Value
The anticipated total annual available funding for FY 2022 is $43,250,000. The estimated number and type of awards are up to 55 cooperative agreements with an estimated annual award amount varying based on the number of centers a recipient has. For FY 2022, the anticipated amount is $148,000 per center in the POSME phase and $250,000 per center in the ID phase.