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> Montana Area Health Education Centers
Montana Area Health Education Centers
Montana State University, Bozeman, was recently awarded a grant from the Health Resource Service Administration to establish a statewide system of regional Area Health Education Centers, phased in over the three years of the first phase of the AHEC grant.
Until this fall, Montana was a regional AHEC for the University of Washington WWAMI Program, along with other states in the WWAMI system. This year, the Montana AHEC at MSU was allowed to apply for funding through the College of Nursing, Elizabeth Nichols, Dean, in collaboration with the Montana WWAMI Program in the Division of Health Sciences, Linda Hyman, Vice Provost.
This new grant allows Montana to create its own AHEC system. The Program Office is located at Montana State University, directed by Kristin Juliar.
The new funding allows Montana to have four regional centers, with a program office at MSU in Bozeman. Each center has up to six years of start up funding, for a total of approximately $1.5 million per center over the six years of the grant. The purpose of the regional centers is to connect health professions education to rural and underserved communities. Programs developed at the centers will focus on creating a pipeline of health professionals; placing WWAMI students and other health professions students in rural rotations; and continuing education programs for health professionals. AHECs are designed to strengthen the healthcare workforce and improve health by forging connections between health professions education and communities.
The first two centers will be established this year. The first, in Billings, is hosted by Yellowstone City County Community Health Center, home of the Montana Family Practice Residency Program and the 3rd Year WWAMI Program. The second is located in Dillon, hosted by the Montana Hospital Association. In year two, a center will be started in Western Montana, probably in conjunction with the 3rd Year WWAMI Program in Missoula. In the fall of 2009, a center will be established in North Central Montana. Once in place, each center has up to six years of funding that will total approximately $1.5 million. After six years of start up funding, the centers receive a more modest grant and are expected to be self-sufficient.
Montana AHEC Mission
The mission of the Montana AHEC is "to improve the supply and distribution of heath care professionals, with an emphasis on primary care, through community/academic educational partnerships, to increase access to quality health care."
Goals, Objectives and Activities
The mission of the Montana AHEC is accomplished by pursuing goals, objectives and activities which are common to all AHECs. These are changed and/or modified each year in response to decisions made by the federal granting agency and the Regional WWAMI AHEC Program Office at the University of Washington School of Medicine. The following guidelines are used in establishing annual goals, objectives and activities:
- Form productive linkages between healthcare units to the benefit of underserved and rural communities.
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Foster and encourage collaborative community-based health programs.
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Increase the number of minority and underserved youth entering health education programs.
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Serve as a resource, clearinghouse and disseminatory of health information.
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Promote improved health and disease prevention through educational interventions.
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Respond to emerging community-based needs regarding health issues.
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Provide technical assistance on healthcare-related issues to underserved communities.
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Help implement collaborative community-based, multidisciplinary education and training for health professionals and health professions students.
History
The Montana AHEC was started on October 1, 1985 as part of the network of AHECs funded through the National AHEC Program Office and the Regional WWAMI AHEC Program Office of the University of Washington School of Medicine. The Regional WWAMI AHEC network includes the following centers: (1) Western Washington AHEC in Seattle, (2) Eastern Washington AHEC in Spokane, (3) Wyoming AHEC in Laramie, (4) Alaska AHEC in Anchorage, (5) Montana AHEC in Bozeman and (6) Idaho AHEC in Boise.
The Montana AHEC is located at Montana State University and is administered under the Division of Health Sciences.
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