About Iowa AHEC

The Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program is a federal initiative developed by Congress in 1972 to recruit, train and retain a health professions workforce committed to the underserved. The program combines best-practice methods of workforce development with creative collaborations among school systems, colleges and universities, health professionals, hospitals, health centers, public health venues and other key healthcare stakeholders.

In 2007, Des Moines University and the University of Iowa School of Nursing obtained federal funding to develop seven regional AHECs with a goal of improving the availability and quality of healthcare in Iowa's rural and underserved areas. Each center addresses the healthcare needs and responds to the individual challenges of its local communities. Des Moines University's AHEC Program is divided into four centers, covering the northern part of the state while the University of Iowa's AHEC Program is divided into three centers, covering the southern part of the state. The Central Iowa AHEC is a center within the Des Moines University AHEC Program.

The Northeast Iowa AHEC opened in May 2008 at Allen Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa. and serves a 21 county catchment area.

The Central Iowa AHEC opened in November 2008 at Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa and serves an eight county catchment area.

The West Central Iowa AHEC opened in July 2009 at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll, Iowa and serves a 14 county catchment area.

The Northwest Central Iowa AHEC has not been established, but is expected to open in 2010 and will serve a 19 county catchment area.

For more information on Iowa AHEC please visit www.iowaahec.org