ALASKA: Alaska Center for Rural Health (ACRH)
The Alaska Center for Rural Health was created in 1987 by rural health care providers, educators, and administrators. It is a private, non-profit corporation housed within the Division of Health Sciences, College of Health and Social Welfare, University of Alaska Anchorage. ACRH is overseen by a board comprised of leaders that reflect a myriad of disciplines: physician assistant, physician, health administrator, higher education, nursing, borough government, tribal provider, private practice, health consumer, oral health, and mental health.
EASTERN WASHINGTON: AHEC at Washington State University Spokane
The Area Health Education Center (AHEC) at Washington State University Spokane, like its sister AHEC organizations around the country, focuses on health professions education and training, recruitment, and retention, especially for rural and underserved communities. The AHEC also provides technical assistance to communities and serves as a grant partner for a number of initiatives. It is recognized as a leader nationwide for its innovative and successful programs. The AHEC is an integral part of the health science programs at the Washington State University Spokane campus, which include professional and graduate studies in Health Policy and Administration, Pharmacy, Human Nutrition, and Speech and Hearing Sciences, and Aging.
IDAHO: Idaho Area Health Education Center
The Idaho Area Health Education Center (AHEC), formerly known as the Idaho Rural Health Education Center (IRHEC) was established in 1987 to improve the distribution and quality of health care professionals throughout rural and underserved Idaho through a contract with
Mountain States Group, Inc. from the University Of Washington School Of Medicine, Area Health Education Center Program. Several programs were initiated to address the shortage of primary care professionals and the viability of rural health care delivery systems.The AHEC has committed many resources to addressing health care delivery issues throughout Idaho. Our primary thrust has been on the development of mutually beneficial partnerships with communities throughout Idaho and with other health related organizations dedicated to serving the needs of Idahoans.
MONTANA: Montana AHEC
The National Area Health Education Center Program supports AHEC Programs and AHEC Centers in most states. AHECs provide educational programs for health care students and professionals, and assistance in improving health care access.
The Montana Area Health Education Center (Montana AHEC) is one of six Regional AHEC Centers of the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSM). These AHECs are located in Seattle, Spokane, Fairbanks, Boise, Laramie and Bozeman. The WWAMI program at the University of Washington School of Medicine is the only AHEC with centers located across state borders.
WESTERN WASHINGTON: Western Washington AHEC
Western Washington Area Health Education Center (WWAHEC) is a non-profit agency governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, and its programs are implemented by a director and full-time staff. The necessary core support for individual programs comes from public and private funding.
The Western Washington AHEC works to assure equity of and access to health care for underserved rural and urban populations in western Washington. This mission is accomplished through a continuum of activities aimed at increasing access to health care by supporting health care systems for underserved populations:
Planning for tomorrow's providers through recruitment of students into health professions schools and training programs
- Providing community-based education and training opportunities for health professions students
- Developing healthy community-based service delivery systems through technical assistance programs
- Creating learning opportunities for providers in underserved communities
- Forming community/academic linkages which respond to community-identified health care needs
WYOMING: Wyoming AHEC
The mission of the Wyoming Area Health Education Center is to increase access to quality health care and to use educational methods as an incentive to attract and retain health care providers in areas of need. Programs and services offered through Wyoming AHEC are community-based and focus on community/academic partnerships. Educational interventions are intended to promote improved health, promote disease prevention, encourage interdisciplinary primary care services, and encourage health care cost containment.