Area Health Education Center
The overarching goal is to improve healthcare services in underserved areas of the United States. This is done through recruiting more people into health careers, offering support to professional students so they can get experience working in an underserved area, and connecting healthcare professionals in the remote/rural locations with continuing education opportunities to reduce professional isolation.
AHECs have been in existence for almost forty years. They are in most States of the Union, the District of Columbia and some US territories.
It is to benefit all of southeast Alaska. There is a particular interest in reaching out to disadvantaged populations. Disadvantaged is a broad term describing underrepresented groups of people like the first in the family to attend college.
You may want to increase your skills to advance up the career ladder, you may have a loved one who may be interested in pursuing a health career, you may manage a department and want a student for an internship or residency, you may want to prepare someone to assume your responsibilities when you retire!
SE AHEC opened its doors in January 2009.
SE AHEC is the fourth center to open its doors in Alaska. The first center opened its doors in late 2005. The AHECs cover specific geographical regions. There is the Interior Alaska AHEC at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital, South Central AHEC at UAA and Yukon Kuskokwim AHEC at the YK Health Corporation. Two other centers are proposed. They would cover the northern area and southwestern Alaska.
This program is funded through the UAAAlaskaCollege for Rural Health. SEARHC is the host agency but the service area is ALL of southeast Alaska, the services are not limited to Native populations. SEARHC is an important partner in health. Some of our partners include Ketchikan General Hospital PeaceHealth, BartlettRegionalHospital, PetersburgMedicalCenter, the State of Alaska Department of Education and Department of Labor.
This is not a state grant. It is HRSA funding that is processed as a sub award through UAA. The funding cycle is September 1-August 31.
We have a full-time Health Career Coordinator that tracks interns, job shadows, rotations and sets up some of these opportunities. This position also travels to many schools to get youth interested in health careers.
Jessika Beam, Health Career Coordinator
907-966-8903
jessika.beam@searhc.org
We have a full-time Director, Iva GreyWolf. This position supports all of the grant goals. There is financial management, networking, grant writing, and systems development.
Iva GreyWolf, SE AHEC Director
907-966-8674
ivag@searhc.org
We have a half-time Administrative Assistant position filled by Kaley Eliason to support AHEC activities through numerous administrative tasks and social networking.
Kaley Eliason, Administrative Assistant
907-966-8311
kaley.eliason@searhc.org
SE AHEC is located on the SEARHC Sitka campus in PHS #225, in the HumanResourcesBuilding that is on the corner as one turns left to go to the CHS building.
No, the Tribal Recruitment Coordinator works for SEARHC. The goals of tribal recruitment sometimes overlap with SE AHEC goals. There has and continues to be an opportunity to work on joint projects.
