The University of Nebraska Medical Center has received a five-year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to renew funding in Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) and fund a new center.
The grant provides continued funding to centers in Grand Island, Norfolk, Scottsbluff and Omaha. It also funds a new center in Lincoln which will serve the southeast region of the state.
This is the 13th year Nebraska AHECs have received federal funding. Funding for the first year is $457,135.
The AHEC program is key in the recruitment and retention of health professionals in Nebraska's 93 counties. Some of the other key duties performed by AHECs include:
• Working with local schools (grades K-12) in health career promotion;
• Providing health career fairs and camps;
• Assisting health profession students gain educational experiences in underserved communities;
• Working with local health career providers to assure the availability of continuing education; and
• Working with community agencies to meet local health care needs.
"This grant allows AHECs to continue their work with community and academic partners to make a difference in medically underserved communities," said Michael Sitorius, M.D., chairman of the UNMC Department of Family Medicine and director of Nebraska AHEC in Omaha, noting that more than 75 percent of the grant dollars go to the regional centers and their communities.
