AHEC Project Center Director: Lynda Bennett, MA July 10, 2013 Presentation to Idaho Rural Partnership

 The acronym “AHEC” stands for Area Health Education Center. In 1971, Congress established the AHEC program to build a healthcare workforce dedicated to medically disadvantaged populations. The nationwide system of Area Health Education Centers was established to improve the supply, distribution, diversity and quality of the health work force, and increase access to health care in rural and medically underserved areas.

CHAIR: Russ Duke Central District Health VICE-CHAIR Ted Epperly, MD Family Medical Residency of Idaho (FMRI) Suzanne Allen, MD UW WWAMI Mary Baranaga, MD UW WWAMI Tim Dunnagan, Ed.D. BSU – Dean Health Sciences Katrina Hoff Idaho Primary Care Assoc. Bessie Katsilometes PhD ISU – Dean Academic Programs Meridian Health Science Center Steve Schnieder, MD Healthwise Priscilla Salant, MS University of Idaho Dir. Community Partnerships Devin Lakey 4 th yr Medical Student Carol Taylor, MSW Above and Beyond Consulting Carolyn Corbett MSN, MBA, RN, PMHNP-BC Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

In March 2013 Representative John Rusche convened a group from all around the state to ask four key questions:

. Idaho has fewer physicians per capita than almost every other state in the U.S (ranking 49 th ) (O’Leary and Morgan. 2011). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics for 2010, Idaho had approximately 117 physicians per 100,000 people compared to a U.S. average of 192 physicians/100,000 population (HRSA).

 Our state ranked last in terms of the number of psychiatrists with just 5 /100,000 population compared to a U.S. average of 13/100,000 (O’Leary and Morgan. 2011). Similar shortages have been noted for psychologists and social workers. We are 2 nd in the nation in terms of the proportion of our citizens who lack access to mental health care, with 61.5% of the Idaho population having no access compared to a national rate of 19.8% (O’Leary and Morgan. 2011). The entire state of Idaho is designated as Health Professions Shortage Area (HPSA) for Mental Health Services (Idaho Office of Rural Health and Primary Care. 2012).

 St. Luke’s, St. Alphonsus, The Hospital Cooperative, Qualis Health, Idaho Health Data Exchange, ISU, Boise State, North Idaho College, Shoshone Medical Center, Family Medical Residency of Idaho (FMRI), VA Medical Center, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, Kootenai Medical Center, Idaho Telecom Alliance, DHW Behavioral Health, Idaho Hospital Association, Southwest Idaho Community Health Network, Idaho Insurance Exchange, The Core, Behavior Imagining Solutions, Stargazers LLC, Syringa Networks, Institute of Rural Health, St. Mary’s & Clearwater Valley…and many more!

Roster (By Group): Contact List (Alphabetical):  MASTER LINK:

 Sustainable support for coordination  Champions in each region of Idaho  Partners ready to roll up their sleeves and share the load

 Lynda Bennett, MA Idaho Area Health Education Center Project Director 1607 W. Jefferson St. Boise, ID (208) ex 253 