Model State Supported AHEC Program

Abstract POSME 2022 The mission of Kentucky AHEC is to promote healthy communities, improve health care delivery, and increase health equity by promoting workforce diversity, workforce distribution, and practice transformation through innovative partnerships. This is accomplished by providing: 1) educational support services to health profession students and health care providers, 2) community health education, 3) programs that encourage health professions as a career choice, and 4) programs that support practice transformation and interprofessional (IPE) education and healthcare delivery. The Kentucky AHEC Program is coordinated by the University of Louisville School of Medicine (ULSOM) in collaboration with the University of Kentucky (UK) Center for Interprofessional & Community Health Education (CICHE). The Program is composed of eight regional AHECs that serve the state in discrete, mutually exclusive contiguous service areas. The four eastern AHEC centers are provided technical assistance by the UK CICHE and the western AHEC Centers are provided technical assistance by ULSOM. Evidence-based strategies based on needs assessments for Kentucky guide the objectives of our centers. Through state and federal support, KY AHEC helps prepare a healthcare workforce that will serve the disadvantaged rural and/or minority populations throughout the Commonwealth. AHECs also work with community partners, institutions of higher education, public health departments, foundations, public schools as well as federal, state, regional and local organizations to eliminate disparities in health and healthcare. The KY AHEC Program proposes to address the following Eight Core Topic Areas: IPE, Behavioral Health Integration, Connecting Communities and Supporting Health Professionals, Virtual Learning and Telehealth, Social Determinants of Health, Cultural Competence, Practice Transformation, and Current/Emerging Health Issues.