[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 16, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E500]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           NATIONAL AHEC WEEK

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                      HON. CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS

                             of washington-

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 16, 2011

  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, March 14-18 marks National AHEC 
week. The Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) program was developed by 
Congress in 1971 to recruit, train and retain a health professions 
workforce. Today, 56 AHEC programs with more than 235 centers operate 
in almost every state and the District of Columbia. The AHEC program 
addresses the imbalances in our healthcare system and inequities in 
access to and quality of healthcare. Nearly 8,000 AHEC community based 
training sites are located in underserved areas including 3,500 in 
designated health professions shortage areas, training a workforce 
committed to serving underserved populations. This is accomplished by 
forming academic and community partnerships that link the resources of 
academic health centers with the needs of the communities. This unique 
program has continually exceeded HRSA's performance measure targets in 
terms of the percentage of program participants who are 
underrepresented minorities and from disadvantaged backgrounds; the 
proportion of participants that train in medically underserved 
communities; and the percentage of health professionals entering 
practice in underserved areas.
  On this week, we celebrate the goals and ideals of the AHEC program 
as well as its innumerable contributions to the advancement of health 
care in our most underserved communities.

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